Glossary and Acronyms
Jul. 29, 2024
Glossary and Acronyms
2 x 16; 2/16
2 days per week, 16 hours per day&#;typically the weekend peak hours of 6:01 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. (aka, hour ending 7 to hour ending 22). 2 x 24; 2/24
2 days per week, 24 hours per day&#;typically weekend days. 24 x 7; 24/7; 24-7
24 hours per day, 7 days per week. 5 x 16
5 days per week, 16 hours per day. 5 x 16
5 x 16 5 x 8; 5/8
5 days per week, 8 hours per day. 50/50 peak load 50/50 A peak load with a 50% chance of being exceeded because of weather conditions, expected to occur in the summer in New England at a weighted New England-wide temperature of 90.2°F, and in the winter, 7.0°F. 90/10 peak load 90/10 A peak load with a 10% chance of being exceeded because of weather conditions, expected to occur in the summer in New England at a weighted New England-wide temperature of 94.2°F, and in the winter, 1.6°F. AC
alternating current ACE
area control error ACI
activated carbon injection ACP
alternative compliance payment activated carbon injection ACI A post-combustion mercury control system for a coal-fired electric power plant, which injects specially treated activated carbon into the flue gas where it absorbs mercury that a downstream particulate-control device then removes. ADCR
active demand capacity resource ADR
alternative dispute resolution advanced metering infrastructure AMI Part of &#;smart grid" initiatives, the full measurement and collection system that includes meters ("smart meters") at an electricity customer&#;s site, communication networks between the customer and a service provider, and data reception and management systems that make the information available to the service provider. AGT
Algonquin Gas Transmission Algonquin Gas Transmission AGT Natural gas pipelines owned by Spectra Energy Partners, supplying New England, New York, and New Jersey and connecting to the Texas Eastern Transmission and Maritimes and Northeast pipelines. Algonquin Incremental Market (Spectra Energy project) AIM A Spectra Energy Partners project to expand the natural gas pipeline capacity of the existing Algonquin Gas Transmission pipeline across New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts. alternating current AC A type of electric current that reverses direction many times per second at regular intervals; used by most electric utilities in the United States. (Compare with direct current.) Alternative Capacity Price Rule APR Former rule in the Forward Capacity Market designed to address the potential price distortion effect of out-of-market resource participation; replaced with the Capacity Carry Forward Rule, circa December . alternative dispute resolution ADR A procedure by which a neutral individual or firm settles a dispute between two other parties as an alternative to litigation. Market Rule 1, Appendix D, outlines the ISO&#;s ADR procedure for settling disputes between a market participant and the ISO. Alternative Portfolio Standard APS A program in Massachusetts (and other states outside New England) that provides incentives to retail electricity providers for developing alternative electricity technologies, as a complement to meeting the state&#;s standards for developing renewable sources of energy. Also called Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard and Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard; see Renewable Portfolio Standard. Alternative Technology Regulation Pilot Program ATR A program run by ISO New England from to permitting resources using certain new, alternative technologies to provide and be paid for regulation service on a trial basis. The program was a response to Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Order No. 890, Preventing Undue Discrimination and Preference in Transmission Service (), and led to a redesign of New England&#;s Regulation Market in to permit participation by these technologies. American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of (US) ARRA A US law for making supplemental appropriations for job preservation and creation, infrastructure investment, energy efficiency and science, assistance to the unemployed, and state and local fiscal stabilization, enacted on February 17, . AMI
advanced metering infrastructure ampere (current) A The rate of the flow of electrons through a material. AMR
Annual Markets Report ANI
adjusted net interchange ANN
artificial neural network Annual Markets Report AMR Annual report presenting the ISO-NE internal market monitor&#;s most important findings, market outcomes, and market design changes of New England&#;s wholesale electricity markets. Abbreviation often includes report year (e.g., AMR15 for report). Annual Reconfiguration Transaction
An agreement that seeks to achieve the equivalent of a fixed price private transfer based on the intent of one participant to shed a resource&#;s capacity supply obligation (the transferring party/resource) and the desire of another participant to acquire a CSO (the acquiring party/resource) in an annual reconfiguration auction (ARA) Annual Reliability Report ARR Report summarizing ISO-NE activities related to reliable system operations and system performance. Sections within the report meet the requirements of the Transmission Operating Agreement. Abbreviation often includes report year (e.g., ARR05 for report). apparent power
The product of the voltage (volts) and current (amperes) that comprises active (real) and reactive power, measured in volt-amperes (VA), kilovolt-amperes (kVA), or megavolt-amperes (MVA). Appendix H
Appendix H of Market Rule 1, Operations during Cold Weather Conditions Appendix H of Market Rule 1, Operations during Cold Weather Conditions Appendix H Provisions for the coordination of the different scheduling timeframes between the natural gas and electric power systems and the formal processes needed among the ISO, owners of gas-fired generation, and the natural gas industry during cold weather conditions. APR
Alternative Capacity Price Rule APS
Alternative Portfolio Standard ARA
annual reconfiguration auction ARM
actual reserve margin ARP
Acid Rain Program ARR
Auction Revenue Right ARR
automatic response rate ARR
Annual Reliability Report artificial neural network ANN Sophisticated computational system inspired by the way the human brain processes information. Applications include pattern recognition and predictive computations for use in weather forecasting and similar tasks that depend on a large number of variables. ASM
Ancillary Services Markets project asset-related demand ARD A dispatchable or nondispatchable physical load that has been modeled within the ISO&#;s dispatch and settlement systems. assigned meter reader
The entity that submits to the ISO the hourly and monthly megawatt-hours associated with the operation of an asset, which are used for settlement purposes. assumed marginal unit
An electric generating unit assumed to increase or decrease generation to economically meet a unit change in load, usually calculated for 1 MW. ATC
available transfer capability ATR
Alternative Technology Regulation Pilot Program ATRR
alternative technology regulation resource Auction Revenue Right ARR An entitlement to receive revenue generated by the sale of a Financial Transmission Right in a specific auction. automatic response rate ARR For generating resources providing regulation service, the amount of the resource&#;s output, in megawatt-minutes, a market participant is willing to change between the resource&#;s regulation high and low limits. automatic voltage regulator AVR A device used to automatically maintain a constant voltage, therefore regulating the output of a generator. available transfer capability ATC A measure of the transfer capability remaining in the physical transmission network for further commercial activity over and above already committed uses. AVR
automatic voltage regulator BA
balancing authority BAA
balancing authority area Bangor Hydro Electric Company BHE A former regulated electric transmission and distribution utility in Maine, now owned by Emera, an energy company based in Nova Scotia, Canada. Baseline Telemetry System BLTS The system the ISO uses to compute the baselines for demand-response resources, which represent the levels at which the resources are expected to consume energy during an operating day when not being dispatched by the ISO to reduce demand. baseload generating unit
A generating unit that satisfies all or part of the minimum load of a system, producing electric energy continuously (typically more than 70% of the year), at a constant rate, and close to maximum output. These units usually are economic to operate day to day. BBLS
Blue Barrels (42 gallons &#; oil barrel) BC
bilateral contract behind the meter BTM Refers to distributed generation installations located behind a customer load. benchmark price
An estimate of the market-clearing price that would result if the buying and selling actions of each market participant did not affect the market price and the market operated with perfect efficiency. best-available control technology BACT A US Clean Air Act emissions limitation for a specific pollutant based on the maximum degree of control a regulated entity (i.e., major polluting source) can achieve, case by case, with consideration of energy, environmental, and economic impacts. BACTs can be add-on control equipment or a modification to a production process or methodology. Refer to best-available technology. best-available technology BAT As defined by the US Clean Water Act, the best available, economically achievable performance of plants in a regulated industrial subcategory or category (e.g., power plants), as set by a permitting authority, with consideration of the costs to achieve BAT effluent reductions; the age of equipment and facilities involved; the process the industry employs and potential process changes; non-water-quality environmental impacts, including energy requirements; and other factors EPA deems appropriate, to minimize the adverse environmental impact of, for example, cooling water intake structures. BHE
Northeastern Maine subarea BHE
Bangor Hydro Electric Company BHE
BHE subarea bid
A request to purchase a certain amount of electric energy (megawatts) at a specific location on the system. bid-intercept price
An estimate of the price of electric energy using submitted supply offers but ignoring unit operating constraints. bilateral contract BC A contract between a buyer and seller of wholesale electricity, which provides price certainty for both parties. bilateral trading
The purchase and sale of electric energy or regulation obligations between two market participants. The energy (megawatts) is traded through the ISO from one market participant to another. binding constraint
A system or transmission limitation that affects price formation in one of the ISO&#;s wholesale electricity markets for either all of New England or within a specific area affected by the constraint. blackout
The unplanned and emergency loss of electricity due to a failure of the generation, transmission, or distribution system. blackstart
When a generating unit goes from a shutdown condition to an operating condition without electrical support from the grid after a system blackout. black-start unit
A generating unit that has the ability to quickly go from a shutdown condition to an operating condition using its own batteries or compressed air, not electricity from the power system it is connected to. BLTS
Baseline Telemetry System BOSTON (all caps)
BOSTON subarea bottled generation
The situation when electricity produced in one area cannot be transmitted to other areas because of a transmission constraint. British thermal unit Btu A measurement of the heat content of fuels; also the power of heating and cooling systems, such as furnaces and air conditioners. BTM
behind the meter Btu
British thermal unit Bunker
Bunkering is the supply of fuel (or "bunkers") for use by ships, and includes the shipboard logistics of loading fuel and distributing it among available bunker tanks. bus
An electrical node or point of interconnection to the electric power system where power is available for transmission. Also, an electrical conductor that serves as a common connection for two or more electrical circuits. busbar
A large rigid conductor typically used in a substation to feed and direct electric power to two or more circuits. C4
four largest competitors C8
eight largest competitors CA
control area CAGR
compound annual growth rate CAMS
Customer and Asset Management System capability period
One of two specific time periods within a power year. The summer period is June 1 through September 30; the winter period is October 1 through May 31. capacitor
A passive two-terminal electrical component that stores potential energy in an electric field. capacity
The rated and continuous load-carrying ability, expressed in megawatts or megavolt-amperes, of generation, transmission, or other electrical equipment. (Also see reserve capacity.) capacity commitment period CCP The one-year period from June 1 through May 31 of the following year for which Forward Capacity Market capacity supply obligations are assumed and payments are made; same as a power year. capacity factor
The ratio of the electrical energy a generating unit produced for a certain period to the electrical energy it could have produced at full operation during the same period. capital funding charge CFC The costs of budgeted capital items, which the ISO collects from market participants for costs the ISO does not finance. carbon dioxide leakage
Increased carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from lower-cost electric energy generated outside the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) region and imported into the region, offsetting, in part, the reduced CO2 emissions by generators within the RGGI states. cascading outage
The uncontrolled successive loss of bulk electric system facilities that interrupts electric service and cannot be restrained from spreading beyond a predetermined area, triggered by an incident (or condition) at any location on the system. (Also see interconnection-reliability operating limit.) CASPR
Competitive Auctions with Sponsored Policy Resources CATR
Comprehensive Area Transmission Review CB
customer baseline CC
combined cycle CCP
capacity commitment period CCRP
Central Connecticut Reliability Project CEII
Critical Energy Infrastructure Information Central Connecticut Reliability Project CCRP A 345 kV transmission line upgrade between North Bloomfield and Frost Bridge, Connecticut. Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity CPCN A type of regulatory compliance certification a private company requires from a federal or state public board or commission before it can construct the facilities or provide services deemed in the public interest. Certificate of Public Good (VT) CPG A license the Vermont Public Service Board issues to utilities and cable operators that impose conditions for providing those services. CFC
capital funding charge CFLA
critical facility loading assessment CFR
Code of Federal Regulations CHP
combined heat and power CIP
critical infrastructure protection circular mil CM A unit of area used to measure the cross section of a wire or cable. One circular mil equals the area of a circle whose diameter is 0.001 (10-3) inch. claim 10
The generation output level, expressed in megawatts, a resource can reach within 10 minutes from an off-line state after receiving a dispatch instruction. Or, the amount of reduced consumption, expressed in megawatts, a dispatchable asset-related demand capacity resource can reach within 10 minutes after receiving a dispatch instruction. claim 30
The generation output level, expressed in megawatts, a resource can reach within 30 minutes from an off-line state after receiving a dispatch instruction. Or, the amount of reduced consumption, expressed in megawatts, a dispatchable asset-related demand capacity resource can reach within 30 minutes after receiving a dispatch instruction. claimed capability
A generator&#;s maximum production or output. Clean Air Act (US) CAA A federal law that regulates air emissions from stationery and mobile sources and authorizes the US Environmental Protection Agency to establish National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for protecting public health and public welfare and to regulate emissions of hazardous air pollutants. Clean Air Act Amendments of (US) CAAA Revisions to Section 112 of the US Clean Air Act that required the US Environmental Protection Agency to issue technology-based standards for major sources of air pollution (i.e., a stationary source or group of sources that emit or have the potential to emit 10 tons per year or more of a hazardous air pollutant or 25 tons or more of a combination of hazardous air pollutants) and certain nonmajor stationary sources. Clean Air Mercury Rule (US EPA) CAMR A US Environmental Protection Agency rule of , vacated by the DC Circuit Court in , which established mercury performance standards for new and existing coal-fired utilities for reducing their mercury emissions, regulating these emissions through a cap-and-trade program under Clean Air Act, Section 111 (refer to Mercury and Air Toxics Standard; MATS). clean coal
A marketing term for coal that has been chemically washed of minerals and impurities and sometimes gasified and burned, with the flue gasses treated with steam, to reduce the amount of sulfur dioxide in the coal and, typically, recover and store some of the coal&#;s carbon dioxide so that it is not released into the atmosphere. Use "new coal technology" instead. Clean Energy Standard (MA) CES A proposed market-based framework in Massachusetts for providing signals to electricity providers to favor lower- and no-emission sources of electricity generation for delivery to customers. Also called Clean Energy Performance Standard. clean resources
Generating resources that emit no or low emissions when generating electricity compared with fossil fuel units. Clean Water Act (US) CWA A federal law establishing the basic structure for regulating discharges of pollutants into US waters and regulating quality standards for surface waters. Under the act the US Environmental Protection Agency has set wastewater and cooling water standards for various industries, including electric utilities. See the Cooling Water Intake Rule. cleared
When a market has been settled, such that the quantity offered (supplied) matches the quantity bid (demanded), the amount to be bought and sold has been determined, and the a settlement between the buyers and sellers is possible. clearing price CP In wholesale electricity markets, the price for electric energy determined by matching the dollar and volume bids to buy the energy with the offers to sell the energy. Forward Capacity Market clearing prices match the offers to sell electric energy at some future point with the peak demand forecasted for that time. CLO
capacity load obligation CLOB
capacity load obligation bilateral CM
circular mil CMR
Code of Massachusetts Regulations CNR
capacity network resource CNRC
capacity network resource capability Coal Combustion Residue Rule (US EPA) CCRR Final rule of the US Environmental Protection Agency&#;s Resource Conservation and Recovery Act establishing requirements for coal-fired power plants for the disposal of coal combustion residuals, or coal ash, in landfills and surface impoundments. Code of Federal Regulations CFR The codification of the general and permanent rules published in the Federal Register by the departments and agencies of the federal government. Code of Massachusetts Regulations CMR The compilation of the regulations of Massachusetts&#; state agencies. coincident peak load
The largest sum of all energy load (demand) values at one specific time in a particular geographic area, sometimes measured instantaneously and, other times, as the highest aggregated hourly value. Also called coincident peak demand. combined heat and power CHP Through a single, integrated process, the generation of electric energy and the recovery of useable thermal energy, such as steam or hot water, which can be used for space heating, cooling, domestic hot water, and industrial processes but that typically goes to waste. CHP systems can achieve efficiencies of over 80% compared with 50% for conventional generators. Also known as cogeneration. See combined-cycle gas turbine. combined-cycle gas turbine CCGT A power generator that uses both a gas and a steam turbine to produce electricity more efficiently than a simple-cycle generator by routing the heat from the gas turbine to a nearby steam turbine to generate the extra power. See combined heat and power. combustion turbine (generator) CT A type of engine that compresses air to a higher pressure in a chamber into which fuel is sprayed and ignited, creating a high-temperature, high-pressure flow of air that spins a turbine and generates electric energy. Competitive Auctions with Sponsored Policy Resources CASPR A market-based mechanism for accommodating the entry of New England state-sponsored new resources into the Forward Capacity Market, beginning with the thirteenth Forward Capacity Auction (FCA #13) (in February for the / capacity commitment period), for maintaining competitively based capacity prices; introduces a substitution auction to be held annually after the primary FCA that will enable new resources unable to acquire a capacity supply obligation (CSO) in the primary auction to obtain one from an existing resource that acquired one in the primary auction but is willing to permanently retire from all markets. composite offer
When capacity resources participate together to maximize a combined offer in a Forward Capacity Auction, for example, when a resource with more summer capacity than winter capacity pairs its summer excess with the winter excess from a resource with more winter capacity than summer capacity. compound annual growth rate CAGR A calculation of the rate at which electric energy use or peak load would have grown if it grew at a steady rate. The CAGR equals the nth root of the total percentage growth rate, where n equals the number of years in the period under consideration. Comprehensive Energy Plan (VT) CEP Prepared by the Vermont Department of Public Service and required by statute, a 20-year framework and recommended public and private sector actions to advance the state&#;s energy policy goals. Comprehensive Energy Strategy (CT) CES Prepared by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and required by statute every three years, an analysis of the state&#;s current energy use; examination of opportunities for meeting future energy needs; and recommendations to give state residents, businesses, and industries a number of options for guiding the state toward cheaper, cleaner and more reliable energy. CONE
cost of new entry congestion
A condition that arises on the transmission system when one or more restrictions prevents the economic dispatch of electric energy resources from serving load. Also, a condition that occurs when the transfer capability is insufficient for simultaneously implementing all the preferred schedules for the transmission of electric energy. Congestion Revenue Fund CRF ISO fund containing the sum of the imbalances in the congestion component settlements used for paying "congestion rents" for holders of Financial Transmission Rights who are paid the difference in day-ahead congestion charges between two defined pricing points. Congressional Research Service CRS A part of the US Library of Congress that works exclusively for the US Congress to provide policy and legal analysis to congressional committees and members of the House and Senate. Connecticut load zone CT One of eight defined areas in New England, this one encompassing the State of Connecticut, that include aggregations of pricing nodes used for wholesale energy market settlement. See load zone. conservation and load-management C&LM A load-serving entity&#;s (LSE) program for assisting and encouraging its residential, commercial, and industrial customers in implementing cost-effective energy conservation measures, which reduce the total amount of demand the LSE needs to serve, save energy costs, and reduce emissions. constraint
The maximum level a transmission system facility (or facilities) can operate to respect the most restrictive of its thermal, stability, and voltage limits. Consumer Price Index CPI A statistical measure of the changes in the prices an urban consumer pays for a representative basket of goods and services. Cooling Water Intake Rule (US EPA) CWIR US Environmental Protection Agency rule establishing requirements for the location, design, construction, and operation of industrial intake structures, including for power plants, to minimize adverse environmental impacts. See cooling water intake structure. cooling water intake structure CWIS Infrastructure of industrial facilities, including power plants, that pulls large volumes of water from lakes, rivers, estuaries or oceans to cool their operations, which can cause adverse environmental impacts by also pulling large numbers of fish and shellfish or their eggs into the facilities&#; cooling systems. See Cooling Water Intake Rule (US EPA). cooling-degree day
A unit that relates a day&#;s temperature to the demand for electric energy due to air conditioning or refrigeration. It is an estimate of electric energy requirements and indicates fuel consumption for the air conditioning or refrigeration. Cooling-degree days are provided for each degree the daily mean temperature and humidity index are above the baseline of 65. coordinated transaction scheduling CTS A process ISO New England and the New York Independent System Operator follow for submitting and scheduling transactions for exchanging energy at the New York/New England AC interfaces, featuring scheduling every 15 minutes, external transaction bidding, coordinated economic clearing of transactions, and the elimination of fees and charges for interface bids, to facilitate the flow of power from the region with lower costs to the region with higher costs and to save total production costs and lower locational marginal prices in each region. COS
cost of service cost of service COS The amount of revenue a utility needs to operate and maintain facilities, cover capital expenses, and earn a profit. CP
commitment period CP
clearing price CP
criteria pollutant CPCN
Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity CPI
Consumer Price Index CPS
Control Performance Standard CPS
critical path schedule cps
cycles per second CRF
Congestion Revenue Fund critical infrastructure protection CIP A national program regarding the preparedness and response to serious incidents that involve the infrastructures critical to the national and economic security of the country and the wellbeing of its citizens. The 16 critical infrastructure sectors whose assets, systems, and networks are considered so vital to the US that any combination of their incapacitation or destruction would have a debilitating effect on security, national economic security, or national public health or safety include chemical; commercial facilities; communications; critical manufacturing; dams; defense industrial base; emergency services; energy; financial services; food and agriculture; government facilities; healthcare and public health; information technology; nuclear reactors, materials, and waste; transportation systems; and water and wastewater systems. critical load level
The load level at which transmission constraints are respected but where system problems could occur for small incremental changes in load levels. critical path schedule CPS In the Forward Capacity Market, the project schedule a project sponsor must include in a new capacity qualification package (for new generating capacity, new import capacity backed by an external resource, and new demand capacity resources) that contains sufficient detail to allow the ISO to evaluate the feasibility of the project and whether it will meet the requirement to achieve commercial operation as qualified no later than the start of the relevant capacity commitment period. The CPS includes, at a minimum, the dates with the expected milestones for major permits and information on project finance closing, major equipment orders, substantial site construction, major equipment delivery, major equipment testing, commissioning, commercial operation, and the shedding of its capacity load obligation. Cross-Sound Cable CSC A high-voltage direct current (HVDC) electrical transmission cable buried in the Long Island Sound, connecting the electrical grids of New England and Long Island, NY, and capable of providing 330 MW of electrical transmission capacity to customers. CRS
Congressional Research Service CSO
capacity supply obligation CSOB
capacity supply obligation bilateral CT
Connecticut load zone CT
Connecticut subarea CTR
capacity transfer right CTS
coordinated transaction scheduling current (ampere)
The rate of the flow of electrons through a material, measured as amperes. Customer and Asset Management System CAMS An ISO administrative database for storing, maintaining, and managing all customer data and facilitating the registration of demand assets and resources, which is available to customers as an internet-based tool for managing company contacts, committee representation, and subaccounts; granting users access to other ISO internet-based applications; and updating company information. customer baseline CB The average hourly load, rounded to the nearest kilowatt-hour, for each of the 24 hours in a day for a demand asset. customer of ISO New England
An entity that conducts business with ISO New England, such as a transmission customer or market participant. CWIS
cooling water intake structure cycles per second cps A measure of how frequently an alternating current changes directions; see hertz. DA
day ahead day ahead DA The calendar day immediately before the grid&#;s operating day. day-ahead demand-reduction obligation
An obligation each market participant has for each settlement interval at each location equal to the megawatt-hours of its demand-reduction offers the ISO accepted in the Day-Ahead Energy Market. Day-Ahead Load-Response Program DALRP A prior ISO New England program whereby participants made offers to reduce load on the basis of the day-ahead locational marginal price. DC (see HVDC)
direct current DCA
designated congestion area DCF
discounted cash flow DCS
Disturbance Control Standard DDP
desired dispatch point deactivation
The "mothballing" of a facility, such that with minor reconditioning, it could be brought back into service in a relatively short time. dead bus
An inactive bus; a point on the transmission system where electric energy is not available for transmission. DEC
decremental bid decremental bid DEC A financial bid to buy electric energy at a specified location in the Day-Ahead Energy Market; virtual demand not associated with a physical load. Do not use the abbreviation dec. dekatherm Dth 1,000,000 British thermal units (Btu); 1 million Btu (MMBtu); the basis of most natural gas billings accounting for the amount and quality of gas purchased. delist
The temporary removal of a resource from service for various reasons, usually associated with maintenance; the removal of a resource from the Forward Capacity Market. A classification for facilities that can be brought back on line relatively easily. delist bid
A submission in a Forward Capacity Auction for all or part of an existing Forward Capacity Market resource indicating that the resource wants to opt out of the auction for a single commitment period or all future periods before the deadline for qualifying its existing capacity and does not want a capacity obligation below a certain price. demand
Load; the amount of electrical power the power system uses; the level of electricity consumption, measured in megawatts, at a particular time. demand bid
A request to purchase an amount of electric energy at a specific location on the bulk electric power system. Also, a request to purchase an amount of electric energy at a specified price associated with a physical load. demand capacity resource audit and testing tool DR A&TT The ISO&#;s internet-based auditing and tracking tool for demand capacity resources, used for the submittal, scheduling (by the ISO), and management of demand capacity resource seasonal audits, including the approval of audit results and the dissemination of demand-asset results. demand capacity resource dispatch zone
Any one of 19 regions used to dispatch active demand capacity resources. demand capacity resource on-peak hours
Hours ending (HE) 2:00 p.m. through 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday on nonholidays during June, July, and August and HE 6:00 p.m. through 7:00 p.m., Monday through Friday on nonholidays during December and January. demand capacity resource seasonal-peak hours
Those hours in which the actual, real-time hourly load, as measured using real-time telemetry (adjusted for transmission and distribution losses, and excluding load associated with exports and storage dispatchable asset-related demand capacity resources) for Monday through Friday on nonholidays, during June, July, August, December, and January, as determined by the ISO, is equal to or greater than 90% of the most recent 50/50 system peak load forecast, as determined by the ISO, for the applicable summer or winter season. demand response
When a market participant reduces its consumption of electric energy from the network when instructed in exchange for compensation based on wholesale market prices. The ISO has operated three types of demand-response programs: those activated by price, those activated for reliability, and those that reduce on-peak consumption. demand-designated entity DDE Pursuant to ISO Operating Procedure No. 14, Technical Requirements for Generators, Demand Resources, Asset-Related Demands, and Alternative Technology Regulation Resources, an entity designated by a lead market participant that provides dispatch services from a single physical location for active demand capacity resources and is the single point of contact to receive, acknowledge receipt of, and implement ISO dispatch instructions and other relevant communications. demand-response baseline
The expected baseline demand of an individual end-use metered demand-response customer or group of end-use metered customers or the expected generation output levels of an individual end-use metered customer whose asset comprises distributed generation as determined pursuant to Market Rule 1, Section III.8.2. demand-response provider DRP An organization that manages the energy demand of its customers, reducing energy consumption at times of peak demand and high energy prices through advanced metering and controls. Demand-Response Reserve Pilot Program DRR Pilot A small-scale, temporary program in New England from to that tested the ability of smaller demand-response resources to respond to ISO dispatch instructions similar to resources providing operating reserve. The program also assisted ISO system operators in more accurately predicting the likely performance of demand-response resources in varying system conditions and analyzing contingencies. demand-response resource DRR An individual demand-response asset, or an aggregation of demand-response assets within a DRR aggregation zone, registered in accordance with Market Rule 1, Seciton III..8.1.2; can participate in the electricity and reserve markets. demand-side management DSM Actions that modify the amount of electric energy consumed (demand) and the patterns of consumption to optimize available and planned generation resources and defer the need for new sources of electric power (see demand response). demand-side resource
Now termed demand capacity resource, a source of capacity whereby a consumer reduces the demand for electricity from the bulk power system, such as by using energy-efficient equipment, conserving energy in other ways, and using electricity generated on site (i.e., distributed generation). Some demand capacity resources have reduced load in response to a request from the ISO to do so for system reliability reasons or in response to a price signal. Department of Energy (US) DOE A department of the United States federal government responsible for energy policy and research. Department of Public Utilities DPU A state-level department (e.g., in Massachusetts), that aims to ensure customers reliable, safe, and cost-effective public utilities, such as electricity, natural gas, water, and cable. Also called Department of Public Utilities Control (DPUC). Department of Public Utilities Control DPUC A state-level department that aims to ensure customers reliable, safe, and cost-effective public utilities, such as electricity, natural gas, water, and cable. Also called Department of Public Utilities (DPU). DER
Distributed Energy Resource derated
A reduction in claimed capability, which usually is temporary and a result of physical problems. deterministic analysis
A type of analysis based on a snapshot of assumed specific conditions for a specific scenario, which does not quantify the likelihood that these conditions will actually materialize. DFO
Distillate Fuel Oil DG
distributed generation DI
dispatch instructions direct current DC (see HVDC) Electric current that flows in one direction rather than in alternating directions. discounted cash flow DCF A method of assessing investments, taking into account the expected accumulation of interest. dispatch
When a control room operator issues electronic or verbal instructions to generators, transmission facilities, and other market participants to start up, shut down, raise or lower generation, change interchange schedules, or change the status of a dispatchable load in accordance with applicable contracts or demand bid parameters. (Also see economic dispatch.) dispatch instructions DI Directions the ISO gives to resources, which can include instructions to curtail or restore load or to begin or stop producing electric energy. dispatch segment set
A series of records formulated from dispatch instructions containing data points required to complete a demand capacity resource&#;s performance evaluation. dispatch zone DZ One of 19 regions of electric energy supply and demand in New England. dispatchable asset-related demand DARD Demand that can be modified on the basis of the physical load&#;s ability to respond to remote dispatch instructions from the ISO. Distributed Energy Resource DER Any asset located on the distribution system, any associated subsystem or behind a customer meter, which may include, but is not limited to, electric storage resources, distributed generation, demand response, energy efficiency, thermal storage, and electric vehicles and their supply equipment. distributed generation DG Generation provided by relatively small, on-site installations directly connected to distribution facilities or retail customer facilities and not the regional power system, which reduces the amount of energy the regional power system consumes and can alleviate or prevent regional power system transmission or distribution constraints or reduce or eliminate the need to install new transmission or distribution facilities. A small (24 kilowatt) solar photovoltaic system installed by a retail customer is an example of distributed generation. See distributed resource. Distributed Network Protocol DNP A set of communications standards and protocols used between process automation system components, primarily at utilities to enhance the interoperability between substation and master station computer equipment. distributed resource
Typically, a smaller-sized resource that uses load-reduction technologies or on-site generators, often located at or near load centers and generally installed and owned by a commercial or industrial facility. Distributed resources are used to help maintain the reliability of the electric supply during grid emergencies (see demand response) distribution provider DP An entity that operates the electric power lines connecting high-voltage transmission lines to end-use load; providers are not defined by a specific voltage because they can serve customers at transmission voltages and distribution voltages. distribution reliability cost
The cost of dispatching a generating unit to protect against potential damage to the low-voltage (distribution) system. disturbance
An unplanned event on the electric power system that produces an abnormal system condition; any perturbation to the system. Also, the unexpected change in the area control error caused by the sudden failure of generation or an interruption of load. DLR
dynamic line rating DNP
Distributed Network Protocol double-circuit tower DCT A type of transmission tower that supports high-voltage power lines, with three phases for each circuit for a total of six conductors. Compared with other types of lines, these towers use less land area to reliably and economically transfer more power. DP
distribution provider DPU
Department of Public Utilities DPUC
Department of Public Utilities Control DR A&TT
demand capacity resource audit and testing tool DRR Pilot
Demand-Response Reserve Pilot Program dry sorbent injection DSI A pollution control technology that removes hydrogen chloride and other acid gases from coal- and oil-fired power plant emissions. DSA
dynamic stability assessment DSI
dry sorbent injection Dth
dekatherm dual-fuel capability
When a generator has the flexibility and storage capacity to use two types of fuel, typically oil and natural gas. dynamic line rating DLR The maximum amount of current a transmission line can carry in real time, which can be influenced by wind speed, temperature, and solar radiation. DLR technologies enable transmission owners to take advantage of additional line capacity when available. dynamic stability assessment DSA An assessment to determine the transient stability transfer limits of an electric power system. DZ
dispatch zone EAS
energy administration service Eastern Daylight Time EDT In the Eastern Time Zone in North America and the Caribbean, the time used during the daylight-saving period in spring and summer. EDT is four hours behind Coordinated Universal Time. Eastern Interconnection
One of two major AC power grids in North America spanning from central Canada eastward to the Atlantic coast (excluding Québec), south to Florida, and west to the foot of the Rocky Mountains (excluding most of Texas&#;the portion in the Electric Reliability Corporation of Texas) that, during normal system conditions, interconnects transmission and distribution infrastructure and operates at a synchronized frequency of 60 Hz average. The Eastern Interconnection is tied to the Western Interconnection, the Texas Interconnection, and the Québec Interconnection generally through numerous high-voltage DC transmission lines. eastern New England ENE The eastern part of New England, referring to the area nearest to the Atlantic Coast. Eastern Standard Time EST In the Eastern Time Zone, the time used during the standard period in fall and winter. EST is five hours behind Coordinated Universal Time. Eastern Wind Integration and Transmission Study (US DOE, National Renewable Energy Laboratory NREL) EWITS Report by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory of the US Department of Energy (February ) that modeled and analyzed wind penetrations on a large scale for developing solutions to wind-integration challenges. EBB
electronic bulletin board ecomax
economic maximum ecomin
economic minimum economic dispatch ED The selection of resources available to satisfy system load as inexpensively as possible, which is run every five minutes to reoptimize the resources to meet load at minimum cost. (Also see dispatch.) economic maximum ecomax The highest unrestricted level of electric energy (in megawatts) a generating resource is able to produce, representing the highest megawatt output available from the resource for economic dispatch. ECP
energy clearing price ED
economic dispatch EDC
electronic dispatch capability EDT
Eastern Daylight Time EE
energy efficiency EES
Enhanced Energy Scheduler EGEAS
Electric Generation Expansion Analysis System eight largest competitors C8 A measure of wholesale energy market concentration indicating the percentage of the markets controlled by the eight largest competitors; a C8 value of 100% means that the top eight firms supply all the market demand. Also see four largest competitors. EIS
Environmental Impact Statement elective transmission upgrade ETU An upgrade to the New England transmission system voluntarily funded by one or more participants that have agreed to pay for all the costs of the upgrade. electric energy, electrical energy
The ability of an electric current to produce work (heat, light, another form of energy); the generation or use of electric power over a specified time, usually expressed in gigawatt-hours (GWh), megawatt-hours (MWh), or kilowatt-hours (kWh). Note: Carefully use the adjective "electric," which implies that something is going to run using electricity instead of manually. Also make sure to clarify the type of energy being discussed:
The rate at which electric energy is transferred or used to do work, measured in kilowatts (or watts or megawatts) of capacity; the use of electric energy over a specified interval, measured in megawatt-hours. Electric Reliability Council of Texas ERCOT The entity that manages the flow of electric power on the Texas Interconnection that supplies power to an estimated 24 million Texas customers representing approximately 90% of the state&#;s electric power load. Electric Reliability Organization ERO An organization certified by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to establish and enforce reliability standards for the bulk power system in the United States; sometimes certified by applicable governmental authorities in Canada and Mexico to do the same. electrical node enode Any point on an electrical circuit where two or more circuit elements meet. electricity
A form of energy characterized by the flow of electrons and other charged particles through a material. electromagnetic field EMF A physical field produced by the movement of electrically charged particles such that charged objects and magnets within its vicinity experience a force. Electromagnetic Transients Program EMTP A software program that models electric switching and lighting transients and faults to help analyze system design and operation problems. electronic bulletin board EBB An online communication system where users can share information. At ISO New England, this is particularly useful for scheduling natural gas deliveries to gas-fired generators through limited pipelines. electronic dispatch capability EDC The ability of generators, through adequate hardware, software, and communications infrastructure, to receive, respond to, and change output in response to the electronic dispatch instructions issued by the system operator. emergency
Abnormal condition of an electric power system requiring manual or automatic action to maintain system frequency or to prevent the involuntary loss of load, equipment damage, or tripping of system elements that could adversely affect the reliability of the system or the safety of people or property. Could also be a fuel shortage requiring departure from normal operating procedures to minimize the use of such scarce fuel or any condition that requires the implementation of emergency procedures by the ISO. Emergency Max
emergency maximum limit emergency maximum limit Emergency Max The maximum generation amount (MW) a generating resource can deliver for a limited time without exceeding the specified limits of equipment stability and operating permits. Emergency Min
emergency minimum limit emergency minimum limit Emergency Min The minimum generation amount (MW) a generating resource can deliver for a limited time without exceeding the specified limits of equipment stability and operating permits. emergency operations and preparedness EOP Steps the ISO takes in times of extreme, abnormal system conditions to prevent loss of load, equipment damage, or tripping of system elements that could adversely affect system reliability and safety. emergency outage
A type of unplanned outage when a piece of transmission equipment fails and comes out of service on its own or requires immediate operator intervention to remove it from service. EMF
electromagnetic field emissions allowance
Under an emissions trading program, the authorization for a source of a pollutant to emit one ton of the pollutant during a specific compliance period, at the end of which, the source must hold an amount of allowances at least equal to its annual emissions. eMkt
eMarket EMM
external market monitor EMOF
Energy Market Offer Flexibility EMS
Energy Management System EMS market user interface EMU The computer interface used by ISO New England system operators to manage the real-time market; mostly referred to as market operator interface (MOI). EMTP
Electromagnetic Transients Program EMU
EMS market user interface ENE
eastern New England energy
The power used over a certain period, measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh), watt-hours (Wh), or megawatt-hours (MWh); the resources used for producing this power (e.g., natural gas, oil, coal, nuclear, sun, wind, hydro). Note: "Energy" can be a vague term when discussing electric energy as well as other types of energy or fuels, such as fossil fuels or renewables energy administration service EAS The service provided by ISO New England, to administer the wholesale energy markets, including the core operation of the energy markets, generation dispatch, and energy accounting. energy clearing price ECP The price for electric energy associated with providing sufficient electricity and reserves in the ISO New England wholesale energy markets while meeting transmission security requirements and maximizing social welfare; the price for electric energy where the supply and demand curves meet. energy efficiency EE A type of demand capacity resource that reduces the total amount of electrical energy and capacity at an end-use customer&#;s facility that otherwise would have been needed to deliver an equivalent or improved level of end-use service. Such measures or systems include the use of more efficient lighting, motors, refrigeration, HVAC equipment, control systems, and industrial process equipment. See passive demand capacity resource. Energy Independence and Security Act of (US) EISA An act passed by the United States government in that aims to move the US toward greater energy independence and security; develop and increase the production of clean renewable fuels; increase the efficiency of products, building, and vehicles; promote research on and deploy greenhouse gas capture and storage options; improve the energy performance of the federal government; increase US energy security; and improve vehicle fuel economy. Energy Information Administration (US DOE) EIA US Department of Energy, Energy Information Administration Energy Management System EMS A system of computer equipment and physical infrastructure that allows ISO New England system operators to monitor, control, and optimize the performance of the electric power grid in real time. energy market
See electric energy market and electricity market. Note: "Energy market" can be a vague term in a document that discusses electric energy as well as other types of energy or fuels, such as fossil fuels or renewables. Energy Market Offer Flexibility EMOF An ISO New England wholesale energy market mechanism as of December for increasing the accuracy of price signals and improving the reliability of the electric power system. EMOF allows market participants to make hourly, rather than daily, offers of how much energy they are willing to supply and at what price and to make negative offers (i.e., paying to stay on line and produce power). energy service company ESCO A firm that develops, designs, builds, and funds a comprehensive range of energy conservation measures that, in addition to saving energy, reduce energy costs and operations and maintenance costs at its customers&#; facilities. ESCOs take on the technical and performance risks associated with a project and use a performance-based contracting methodology that directly links its compensation to actual energy cost savings. energy TU
energy transaction unit energy-efficiency forecast EEF A predictive tool to calculate anticipated load reductions in response to state energy-efficiency programs. Energy-Efficiency Reconciliation Factor EERF A program funding mechanism of the &#; Massachusetts Joint Statewide Three-Year Electric and Gas Energy-Efficiency Plan that ensures that the costs for all available cost-effective energy-efficiency measures will be funded if that program&#;s costs exceed other available revenue sources. energy-neutral signal
A type of dispatch signal that enables electric power resources using storage-based technologies to provide frequency- regulation services. The signal directs resources to cycle between electricity production and consumption over a short period, which essentially cancels out to no net-energy use and prevents these resources from losing the ability to follow a conventional regulation dispatch signal if their limited storage capacity becomes either fully charged or fully depleted over time. Enhanced Energy Scheduler EES The software used to facilitate a transmission customer&#;s submittal of external transactions into the ISO New England wholesale market system. enode
electrical node Environmental Impact Statement EIS A detailed report about the potential positive and negative environmental effects of proposed major federal actions, as required by the National Environmental Policy Act of (NEPA). EOP
emergency operations and preparedness EP
enrolling participant ERCOT
Electric Reliability Council of Texas ERO
Electric Reliability Organization ERS
external reserve support ESCO
energy service company EST
Eastern Standard Time ET
external transaction ETU
elective transmission upgrade excap qual
existing capacity qualification export-constrained load zone
An area where the available resources, after serving local load, exceed the area&#;s transmission capability to export the excess electric energy. external market monitor EMM The independent firm that reports directly to the ISO board to provide assessments of the wholesale energy markets and reports, as well as monitoring and reviews regarding the quality and appropriateness of the mitigation conducted by the internal market monitor. external node
Location on the transmission system outside the New England Balancing Authority Area; point of interconnection to a neighboring balancing authority area or system; a proxy location on the transmission system used for establishing prices for electric energy being sold to or brought from outside New England. external reserve support ERS For calculating local forward reserve requirements, the unused capacity of the transmission interface associated with a reserve zone. extra-high voltage EHV Transmission line voltages above 345 kV. FA
financial assurance fabric filter FF Also called a baghouse or bag filter, a widely used air-pollution control technology for removing particulate matter from a flue gas stream of an industrial process ventilation system or fuel-combustion unit by passing the dirty air through a layer of porous cloth. facility-metered load FML The aggregate load reading measured at a facility&#;s utility billing meter. Failure-to-Activate flag
An electronic flag placed in a forward-reserve resource&#;s Reserve Asset Detail Report when the resource fails to respond according to its offer data and the ISO&#;s instructions when asked to activate its claimed 10-minute nonspinning reserve or 30-minute operating reserve. A Failure-to-Activate flag results in a financial penalty. Failure-to-Reserve flag
An electronic flag placed in a market participant&#;s Reserve Asset Detail Report when the participant&#;s delivered forward-reserve megawatts associated with a reserve zone are less than the participant&#;s associated forward-reserve obligation. A Failure-to-Reserve flag results in a forfeiture of payment for any forward-reserve megawatts not delivered plus a financial penalty. FAM
Financial Assurance Management FAP
Financial Assurance Policy fast-start resource
A resource that can be electrically synchronized to the electric power system and reach its maximum production or output within 10 to 30 minutes to respond to a contingency and serve demand. Also, a demand capacity resource that helps with recovery from a contingency and assists in serving peak demand. Same as quick-start resources; "fast start" is the preferred term. FCA
Forward Capacity Auction FCM
Forward Capacity Market FCTS
Forward Capacity Tracking System Federal Energy Regulatory Commission FERC An independent federal agency that regulates the interstate transmission of natural gas, oil, and electricity to ultimately assist consumers in obtaining reliable, efficient, and sustainable energy services at a reasonable cost through appropriate regulatory and market means. Federal Power Act (US) FPA A law first enacted in and subsequently amended a number of times to, in part, (1) establish a five-member commission (now the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) with authority over both the interstate transmission of electricity and the sale of hydropower at the wholesale level to ensure that rates are reasonable, nondiscriminatory, and just to the consumer; (2) coordinate hydroelectric projects in the United States and encourage the development of dams, reservoirs, and other types of hydro projects; and (3) broaden the commission&#;s authority to incorporate fish and wildlife concerns regarding licensing, relicensing, and exemption procedures; regulate nonfederal hydropower projects; and support the comprehensive development of rivers for energy generation and other uses. Federal Register FR Daily journal of the United States government, featuring notices of public meetings, hearings, proposed and final rules, investigations, funding, and actions of the president. Federal Reporter, third series F.3d A case law reporter in the United States covering opinions and decisions beginning in issued by the 13 circuits of the US Court of Appeals. feed-in tariff FIT A part of a long-term electricity purchasing agreement that guarantees a specified price, usually above the market level, for the electric power produced under the agreement. FERC
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission FF
fabric filter Financial Assurance Management FAM A risk management system for the wholesale energy markets to minimize the risk of market players&#; defaults. Financial Assurance Policy FAP Exhibit IA of the ISO New England Transmission, Markets, and Services Tariff that sets forth the financial assurance procedures, requirements, and criteria governing the participation of all applicants, market participants, and nonmarket participant transmission customers in the New England wholesale electricity markets, including credit review procedures to assess the financial ability of applicants and participants to pay for service transactions under the tariff and their share of ISO expenses; requirements for alternative forms of acceptable security that protect the ISO and participants against the risk of nonpayment by defaulting participants; conditions under which the ISO will conduct business in a nondiscriminatory way; and procedures for collecting amounts past due and payable upon billing adjustment, making up payment shortfalls, suspending participants out of compliance with the policy, and terminating membership of and service to defaulting participants. Financial Transmission Right FTR A financial instrument&#;equal to the amount of electric energy flowing in one direction between two specific locations on the regional power system&#;that a market participant can buy to help hedge against the economic impacts associated with transmission congestion and to arbitrage differences between expected and actual day-ahead congestion caused by constraints on the transmission system. The FTR holder might incur an obligation to pay a charge or the right to receive revenues. firm supply
Fuels for a facility under a delivery contract that includes priority transportation service and that cannot be interrupted or restricted. first contingency N-1 The loss of the power system element (facility) with the largest impact on system reliability. first-contingency reliability cost
The cost of dispatching a generating unit to protect against a disruption in service when a very large generator or transmission line suddenly is lost. fixed demand
When a market participant buys electricity at any price. flag
To designate or mark in an electronic report or file, as in to flag market results that may reflect anomalies or to flag a generating unit for commitment to meet the requirements for voltage support or local second-contingency protection. flexible alternating-current transmission system FACTS A system that incorporates power electronic controllers and other static equipment to better be able to control transmission system parameters and increase power-transfer capability. floor price
An administratively set price, such as in an auction, which currently is used in the ISO&#;s Forward Capacity Auction. flue-gas desulfurization FGD A post-combustion control system for sulfur dioxide (SO2) and other acid flue gases produced by a coal- or oil-fired electricity generating unit, which injects a type of lime, using wet or dry means, into a "scrubber" where it reacts with the SO2 and other gases. The reaction products are then removed either in the scrubber or in conjunction with a downstream particulate-control device. Also called wet or dry scrubbing. FOA
Funding Opportunity Announcement foot ft forced outage
A type of unplanned outage that involves the unexpected removal from service of a generating unit, transmission facility, or other facility or portion of a facility because of an emergency failure or the discovery of a problem. These problems must be repaired as soon as crews, equipment, corrective dispatch actions, or a combination of all measures can be activated to allow the work to be performed. Forward Capacity Auction FCA The annual auction of the Forward Capacity Market during which capacity resources compete to obtain a commitment to supply capacity in exchange for a market-priced capacity payment. In the "descending-clock" format of the annual FCAs, the price for capacity starts high enough to attract more than enough resources to meet the capacity requirements and then is decreased until the quantity of capacity remaining in the auction equals the quantity of capacity needed. This auction allows new capacity to set the market-clearing price while accounting for locational capacity requirements and providing a market-based measure of the cost of new entry. Forward Capacity Market FCM In the New England Balancing Authority Area, a locational capacity market whereby the ISO projects the needs of the power system three years in advance and then holds an annual auction to purchase power resources to satisfy the region&#;s future needs. The aim of the FCM is to send appropriate price signals to attract new investment and maintain existing resources where and when they are needed, including during shortage events, thus ensuring the reliability of the New England electricity grid. Forward Capacity Tracking System FCTS The ISO&#;s online system for managing information about the resources participating in the Forward Capacity Market. forward-reserve obligation charge FROC A component of the Forward Reserve Market settlement rules that calls for collecting back the real-time reserve payments associated with meeting an FRM obligation, for eliminating double compensation for providing both real-time operating-reserve megawatts and forward-reserve megawatts for the same reserve service. four largest competitors C4 A measure of market concentration used by the ISO&#;s market monitor equal to the percentage of the market controlled by the four largest competitors, or the simple sum of the market shares of the top-four firms. A C4 value of 100% means that the top-four firms supply all the market demand. Also see eight largest competitors. FR
Federal Register Freedom of Information Act (US) FOIA A United States law passed in that provides the public the right to request access to previously unreleased records from any federal agency, with exemptions to protect personal privacy, national security, and law enforcement. frequency
The rate of oscillation (cycles/second) of the alternating current in an electric power system, measured in hertz (Hz). In the United States, the rate is 60 Hz. frequency ride through
The capability of a generator to remain connected to the electric power system during frequency excursions defined (in IEEE Standard ) as tolerable and caused by events external to the generating plant. (The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers; IEEE) Standard provides uniform criteria for interconnecting distributed resources with electric power systems.) FRM
Forward Reserve Market FTR
Financial Transmission Right fuel-price adjustment FPA An ISO New England market rule that permits the internal market monitor to use a different fuel price for a resource than its actual fuel price in calculating the resource&#;s reference level if a market participant believes the actual fuel costs will exceed the IMM&#;s index-based fuel price by a large enough margin to put the resource at risk of inappropriate mitigation. Funding Opportunity Announcement FOA A notice of a funding opportunity for a federal grant posted at Grants.gov. GA
grandfathered agreement GADS
Generating Availability Data System gas turbine GT A type of internal combustion engine driven by expanding hot gases produced by burning fuel, such as natural gas, to generate electric current. gas-insulated substation GIS An electric power substation that uses a dielectric gas, SF6, at moderate pressure for phase-to-phase and phase-to-ground insulation. The conductors, circuit breakers, transformers, and other electrical equipment are in the gas contained within grounded metal enclosures. gas-insulated switchgear GIS An electrical switching station unit that houses electrical components and circuits within a single gas tank with a compact footprint. GATT
General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade GCEP
Global Climate Change Energy Project GDP
gross domestic product GE MARS
General Electric Multi-Area Reliability Simulation Model General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade GATT A treaty implemented after World War II and subsequently refined to increase international trade by eliminating or reducing various tariffs, quotas, and subsidies while maintaining meaningful regulations. General Electric Multi-Area Reliability Simulation Model GE MARS A model of the electric power system based on chronological hourly Monte Carlo probability simulations that help electric utility planners quickly and accurately assess the ability of a power system to sufficiently satisfy customer load requirements. Generating Availability Data System GADS A North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) application, and a mandatory industry-reporting program for conventional generating units 20 MW and larger, containing data about the operating history and performance of more than 7,700 electric generating units (or more than 90% of the installed generating capacity) in the United States and Canada. The system provides reliability data to the industry, supporting research and analyses on power plant outages and equipment availability. generation
The production of electric energy from other sources of energy (i.e., fuel), expressed in megawatts; supply. generation clearing
The megawatts of generation accepted or sold in the Day-Ahead Energy Market. Generation Information System GIS The New England Power Pool (NEPOOL) system for registering and tracking renewable energy generation and compliance with state and regional renewable energy requirements. For each megawatt-hour of electricity an individual unit generates, the system assigns a certificate that records the attributes of that power. Load-serving entities use these certificates to differentiate their products for consumers, provide the information required on energy disclosure labels, and comply with state and regional Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPSs) and emissions performance standards. generator owner GO Entity that owns and maintains generating units. generator-interconnection-related upgrade
A transmission addition or upgrade to support the connection of a new or uprated generating facility in ISO New England. Geographic Information System GIS A computer-based tool that captures, analyzes, manages, stores, and displays spatial and geographical data. geomagnetic disturbance GMD A disturbance of Earth&#;s magnetic field, such as from an electromagnetic pulse or solar winds, which can induce a current that enters and exits the power system at transformer grounds and, in some cases, cause abnormal voltages, erroneous tripping of needed equipment, and other disruptions in normal system operations. See geomagnetic storm. geomagnetic storm GMS A temporary but major disturbance of Earth&#;s magnetosphere caused by an efficient exchange of energy from solar winds into the space surrounding Earth that can lead to extra drag on satellites in low-earth orbit, modify the path of radio signals, create errors in information provided by global positioning systems, disrupt navigation systems, and create harmful geomagnetic-induced currents in power grids and pipelines. See geomagnetic disturbance. GHG
greenhouse gas gigawatt GW 1 billion (10<sup>9</sup>) watts; 1,000 megawatts. gigawatt-hour GWh The amount of electrical energy expended by a 1 billion-watt load over one hour. GIS
Generation Information System GIS
Geographic Information System Global Climate Change Energy Project GCEP A Stanford University research project seeking new technological solutions for supplying energy to meet the changing needs of a growing world population in a way that significantly lowers greenhouse gas emissions and protects the environment. Global Positioning System GPS A navigation system that provides location and time information in all weather conditions anywhere on Earth where the line of sight to at least four GPS satellites is unobstructed. Global Warming Solutions Act (MA) GWSA A Massachusetts act signed in creating a framework for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from all sectors of the economy 25% by and 80% by to help avoid some of the heat-trapping effects of global warming, GM
gross margin GMD
geomagnetic disturbance GMS
geomagnetic storm GO
generator owner going-forward costs GFCs For estimating a resource&#;s delist costs, the fixed costs a resource can avoid if it did not have a capacity supply obligation; the costs do not vary with a resource&#;s operation. GOP
generator operator Governor&#;s Office of Energy Independence and Security (ME) GOEIS A former state-level office in Maine to work on state energy policy, advise the governor, and conduct other special assignments for developing public and private partnerships that achieve the state&#;s goals of energy independence and security with clean, reliable, affordable, sustainable, indigenous, and renewable resources. GPA
generator performance audit GPS
Global Positioning System grandfathered agreement GA A transaction specified in the ISO&#;s Open Access Transmission Tariff, Section II.45, regarding the Maine Electric Power Company&#;s Grandfathered Transmission Service Agreements over the New Brunswick/New England interconnection entered into before June 1, , for the applicable period specified in this section. Greater CT
Greater Connecticut study area Greater Hartford Central Connecticut (part of the New England East-West Solution) GHCC An ISO New England study area that combines the Greater Hartford area (Hartford and northwestern Connecticut) and the central Connecticut area (Barbour Hill and Middletown) to be able to capture any interdependencies when conducting transmission planning studies. Greater Rhode Island GRI An ISO New England transmission planning study area that encompasses Rhode Island and parts of southeastern Massachusetts. Greater Springfield Reliability Project GSRP A comprehensive, coordinated set of improvements to the electric transmission systems of Western Massachusetts Electric Company (now Eversource) in Massachusetts and Connecticut Light and Power in Connecticut to meet the transmission reliability needs in the Greater Springfield, Massachusetts area. Greater SWCT
Greater Southwest Connecticut study area Green Communities Act (MA) GCA A Massachusetts act passed in to provide for renewable and alternative energy and energy efficiency in the state and reduce the growth in the state&#;s electricity demand by investing in energy-saving devices; expanding the ability of municipalities, residential customers, and businesses to own and benefit from technologies to produce electricity on their own premises; facilitating the commercialization of and growth in large-scale energy sources that produce little or no greenhouse gas emissions; expanding activity and employment within the state in the advanced energy technology sector; and reducing the state&#;s dependence on and payment for fossil-fuel energy resources outside the state. greenhouse gas GHG Any gas that absorbs infrared radiation in the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide, methane, nitrogen oxides, ozone, chlorofluorocarbons, hydrochlorofluorocarbons, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, and sulfur hexafluoride. GRI
Greater Rhode Island grid
The network of the transmission lines, substations, and associated equipment of an electric power system. GridVIew
An energy production cost program that provides detailed representations of the transmission network. gross domestic product GDP The total monetary value of finished goods produced and services provided in a country during a specified period. gross margin GM Energy revenues minus fuel costs for a typical natural-gas-fired power plant that converts fuel to electricity, expressed as a percentage; calculated as (the average locational marginal price at the Hub minus the fuel cost) divided by the Hub locational marginal price}. Also, the percentage of total sales revenue a company retains after incurring the direct costs associated with producing the goods and services it sells. GRT
generation requirements for transmission constraints GSRP
Greater Springfield Reliability Project GT
gas turbine GW
gigawatt HAP
hazardous air pollutant hazardous air pollutant HAP A US Clean Air Act category of air pollutants known or suspected of causing cancer and other serious health effects, such as reproductive effects or birth defects, or adverse environmental effects. HAPs emitted by fossil-fired generators include acid gases, such as hydrogen chloride (HCl) and hydrogen fluoride (HF); organic pollutants, such as dioxins and furans; mercury; and other metallic HAPs, such as arsenic, chromium, nickel, and selenium. HAPs also are known as toxic air pollutants or air toxics. HE
hour ending heat rate
A measure of a thermal power plant&#;s efficiency of converting fuel (British thermal units; Btus) to electric energy (kilowatt-hours; kWh); the amount of heat, measured in Btus, required to produce a kilowatt-hour of electrical output. The lower the heat rate, the more efficient the facility. heating, ventilation, and air conditioning HVAC The three technologies often combined into one system for providing environmental comfort indoors and in vehicles. heating-degree day
An indication of a building&#;s demand for energy (i.e., fuel consumption) based on each degree the daily mean temperature is below 65 degrees F. heat-recovery steam generator HRSG A heat exchanger that produces steam and recovers heat from the hot steam gas; the steam can be used for process applications, as in cogeneration (combined heat and power), or to drive a combined-cycle steam turbine. hertz Hz A measure of how frequently an alternating current changes directions; a measure of one cycle per second. Hg
mercury high-electric-demand day HEDD In New England, typically days characterized with high temperatures leading to elevated cooling (energy) demand, use of electric generating units, nitrogen oxide emissions, and ozone concentrations. high-voltage direct current HVDC Typically, when the direct-current voltage is above 100 kV. high-voltage transmission line
A line that transmits electric power from a generator to a local distribution line. In New England, these lines include 115 kV and higher voltage lines (see low-voltage lines). Hirschman-Herfindahl Index HHI (H- Index) A measure of market concentration that provides details regarding market structure, calculated by summing the squares of the individual firms&#; market shares, thus giving proportionately greater weight to the larger market shares. The US Department of Justice generally classifies markets with an HHI below 1,500 as unconcentrated, between 1,500 and 2,500 as moderately concentrated, and above 2,500 as highly concentrated. hour ending HE A term that denotes the preceding hourly period. For example, 12:01 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. is hour ending 1. Hour ending 6:00 p.m. is the period from 5:01 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Housatonic River Crossing HRX Name for a transmission project crossing over the Housatonic River between Milford and Stratford, Connecticut. HRX
Housatonic River Crossing human-machine interface HMI The user control panel for operating and monitoring a piece of equipment, often with a keypad and some sort of graphics display. Hz
hertz IA
Interconnection Agreement IBL
internal bilateral for load IBM
internal bilateral for market IBT
internal bilateral transaction ICAP
installed capacity ICAP Market
Installed Capacity Market ICR
Installed Capacity Requirement ICU
internal combustion unit IEEE
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers IMM
internal market monitor IMP
Integrity Management Protocols import-constrained load zone
An area that does not have enough local generating resources and transmission-import capability to serve local demand reliably or economically. in merit order
The designation for an accepted and dispatched supply offer because it was less expensive than other accepted and dispatched supply offers. Also see economic-merit order. incremental offer
A financial offer to sell electric energy at a specified location in the Day-Ahead Energy Market; virtual supply. Do not use the abbreviation inc. independent pole tripping IPT The application of multipole circuit breakers in such a manner that a malfunction of one of more poles or associated control circuits will not prevent the successful tripping of the remaining poles(s). independent power producer IPP A nonpublic utility that generates electric power for sale to other utilities and end users. independent transmission company ITC Stand-alone for-profit transmission company that invests in individual merchant as well as regulated transmission projects. induction-generation effect EGE An electrical phenomenon in which the resonance of a series-compensated transmission system (i.e., one with reactive power elements inserted in series with the transmission lines for improving voltage stability) results in electrical self-excitation of a generation resource at a subsynchronous frequency, which could lead to growing subsynchronous voltages and currents in the system and at the generator. inframarginal offer
A supply offer that is less expensive than the price-setting supply offer (see in merit order). inframarginal revenues
The revenues earned by generators, other than the last one dispatched to meet demand, through the electric energy market. The revenues are in excess of the generators&#; short-run variable costs for fuel and other operating expenses, which assists in recovering fixed costs, the largest portion being capital costs. injection
A location on the transmission system where generation is injected (a.k.a. source point). Installed Capacity Requirement ICR The minimum amount of resources (level of capacity) a balancing authority area needs in a particular year to meet its resource adequacy planning criterion, according to the Northeast Power Coordinating Council Reliability Reference Directory #1, Design and Operation of the Bulk Power System. This criterion states that the probability of disconnecting any firm load because of resource deficiencies must be, on average, less than once in 10 years. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers IEEE From the IEEE website: The IEEE acronym originally stood for the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. The organization&#;s scope of interest has expanded into many additional related fields and is now referred to by its letters I-E-E-E (pronounced eye-triple-e). integrated coal-gasification combined cycle IGCC A type of power plant that uses a high-pressure gasifier to convert coal and other carbon-based fuels into pressurized synthetic gas from which impurities, such as sulfur dioxide, particulates, mercury, and, in some cases, carbon dioxide, are removed before the power-generation cycle. The gasifier also produces steam, which powers a steam turbine. integrated resource plan IRP A utility plan for a specified period for reliably meeting forecasted annual and peak energy demand plus a reserve margin through supply-side and demand-side resources, with consideration of fuel prices, environmental costs and constraints, existing resources, risk analyses, stakeholder input, public utility commission oversight, and other factors. Integrity Management Protocols IMP US Department of Transportation, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, Office of Pipeline Safety guidance, techniques, procedures, and other practices for use during pipeline safety investigations for compliance, inspection, and enforcement activities. Interchange Authority
An entity responsible for authorizing the implementation of valid and balanced interchange schedules between balancing authority areas and ensuring the communication of interchange information needed for reliability assessments. interchange schedule
The agreed-upon specifications for the transfer of electric energy between two balancing authority areas including, for example, the size of the transaction in megawatts, the start and end times, the beginning and ending ramp times, and the rate. interconnection request IR An official request from owners of large generators over 20 MW, small generators no larger than 20 MW; elective transmission upgrades; or merchant, pool, or other transmission facilities for connecting new or uprated facilities to, or providing service over, the New England bulk electric power system. intermediate-load generating unit
A generator that ramps up and down to follow the power system load as it transitions between baseload levels (during the middle of the night) and peak load levels (during the day), operating from 10 to 70% of the year. intermittent power resource IPR A resource whose output amount and availability are intermittent and not subject to the control of ISO New England or the power plant operator because of the variable source of fuel (e.g., wind, solar, run-of-river hydro) that the resource uses or the contractual obligations (e.g. qualifying facilities). IPRs can be resources having less than 5 MW operating within the distribution system. Also called variable energy resource. internal bilateral for load IBL In the Real-Time Energy Market, when the buyer of electric energy receives a reduction in load obligation and the seller receives a corresponding increase in load obligation in the amount of the megawatt sale. internal combustion unit ICU An engine in which an oxidizer, typically air, ignites a fuel, such as natural gas, gasoline, diesel fuel, or fuel oil, within a combustion chamber, which creates high temperatures and pressure gasses that apply force on a piston, turbine blade, rotor, or motor, essentially converting chemical energy into mechanical energy; otherwise called an internal combustion engine. internal market monitor IMM An ISO department composed of economists, engineers, statisticians, and analysts that functions independently of ISO management and reports directly to the ISO Board of Directors&#; Markets Committee and that regularly assesses and reports on the wholesale electricity markets and market products; conducts daily monitoring for any anticompetitive behavior intended to (or that foreseeably could) manipulate market prices, market conditions, or market rules; and mitigates the effects of any identified anticompetitive behavior. Interregional Electric Market Model IREMM A "pipe and bubble" energy production cost program that models the New England region&#;s subareas (bubbles) and the transmission lines that connect them (pipes) for developing hourly, chronological, system-production costs and other metrics. interregional interchange scheduling IRIS A process of scheduling and controlling power flow between neighboring regions. For ISO New England and the New York ISO, a system for scheduling external energy trading transaction to facilitate power flows from the region with lower costs to the region with higher costs; see coordinated transaction scheduling. Interregional Planning Stakeholder Advisory Committee IPSAC An open stakeholder group that provides input for the development of the Northeast Coordinated System Plan (NCSP), which outlines activities conducted jointly by ISO New England, the New York ISO, and PJM. This collaboration among the three ISOs/RTOs in the area ensures that the electric system is planned on a wider interregional basis and is proactive and well-coordinated. interruptible load
Load that can be interrupted by the power system operator in an emergency in accordance with contractual arrangements. Interstate Reliability Project IRP A 345 kV transmission upgrade project in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island that was part of the New England East-West Solutions (NEEWS) series of projects to address east&#;west and west&#;east transmission limitations for meeting regional reliability; in service December . intertie
The circuit that connects two or more balancing authority areas or systems. IPP
independent power producer IPR
intermittent power resource IPSAC
Interregional Planning Stakeholder Advisory Committee IPT
independent pole tripping IR
interconnection request IREMM
Interregional Electric Market Model IRH
interconnection rights holder IRIS
interregional interchange scheduling IRP
integrated resource plan IRP
Interstate Reliability Project island
An electrically isolated portion of an interconnection that maintains its own frequency; typically formed after a major power system disturbance or the restoration that takes place after the disturbance. ISN
Interregional Security Network ISO
Independent System Operator ISO New England Inc. Transmission, Markets, and Services Tariff Tariff, ISO tariff Known as the ISO tariff, the document that details the rates, terms, and conditions for transmission, market, and other services provided by ISO New England; the rights and responsibilities of the ISO and market participants; and various schedules that define the revenues the ISO collects for its operations and those of the New England States Committee on Electricity. ISO Operating Procedure No. 19, Transmission Operations OP 19 ISO procedure that describes how each transmission owner, the ISO, and each local control center (as transmission operators) (1) monitors the New England transmission system and determines ratings, criteria, and limits for its operation under normal and emergency system conditions, and (2) analyzes and operates the system under these two sets of system conditions. ISO Planning Procedure No. 4, Procedure for Pool-Supported PTF Cost Review PP 4 Detailed guidance on what necessary regulated transmission solution additions and modifications, reconstructions, or replacement projects of pool transmission facilities (PTFs) eligible for regional cost support are subject to cost review, what information the applicant for cost review must provide to the ISO, the process for Reliability Committee (RC) and ISO review of an applicant&#;s project, the factors that must be considered in determining whether a project will have localized costs, and the periodic reporting of project costs. Also provides guidelines for preparing Transmission Cost Allocation (TCA) applications for use by the ISO and the RC and on what information and analysis should be available and supplied to support TCA applications. ITC
independent transmission company JCSP
Joint Coordinated System Plan JET
Jet Fuel Joint Coordinated System Plan JCSP A former study that provided a conceptual regional transmission and generation system plan for a large portion of the Eastern Interconnection in the United States, developed with the participation of most of the major transmission operators in the Eastern Interconnection. For example, the JCSP evaluated scenarios of large wind development primarily in the Midwest and transmission alternatives for delivery of the energy mostly to the northeastern United States. kiloton kton A unit of capacity equal to 1,000 tons. kilovolt kV 1,000 volts; used to quantify transmission line voltages and higher-voltage distribution line voltages. kilovolt-ampere kVA A unit of apparent power equal to 1,000 volt-amperes; the product of volts multiplied by amperes in an alternating current (AC) electrical circuit; a measure of the capacity of electrical equipment. kilovolt-ampere reactive; kilovar kVAR A measure of reactive power, not useable power. kilowatt kW A measure of an electrical system&#;s real power, commonly used to quantify the amount of power customers consume (for billing purposes). kilowatt-hour kWh A basic unit of electric energy equal to one kilowatt of power supplied to or taken from an electric circuit for one hour. The unit is used to measure a customer&#;s use of electric energy. kton
kiloton kV
kilovolt kW
kilowatt landfill gas LFG The gas resulting from landfill decomposition that either is collected, cleaned, and used for generation or is vented or flared. LBU
local benefit upgrade LCC
local control center LDC
local gas distribution company LDC
local distribution company lead participant LP The primary representative and bidder for a resource in the wholesale electricity markets. Also referred to as lead market participant (LMP). levelized fixed cost
A construction or purchase cost of an asset annualized over the expected productive life of the asset for the purpose of repayment. LFG
landfill gas LGIP
Large Generator Interconnection Procedure LICAP
locational installed capacity limited liability company LLC A corporate structure for which the members of the company cannot be held liable for the company&#;s debts or liabilities. limited-energy resource LER Per Section 1 of the ISO New England Transmission, Markets, and Services Tariff, a generating resource that, because of design considerations; environmental restriction on operations; cyclical requirements, such as the need to recharge or refill or manage water flow; or fuel limitations, is unable to operate continuously at full output on a daily basis. Also referred to as limited-energy generator (LEG). line-outage distribution factor LODF A sensitivity factor of the linearized impact of transmission line contingencies on the flows in other lines in the system. On an energized line, the LODF calculation determines the percentage of the present line flow that will show up on other transmission lines after the outage of that line. liquefied natural gas LNG Odorless, colorless, toxic, and noncorrosive natural gas (i.e., predominately methane with some ethane) that has been converted to liquid and approximately 1/600th of its volume for ease of storage and transport. liquefied petroleum gas LPG Odorless, flammable mixture of primarily propane and butane hydrocarbon gases used as fuel in heating appliances, cooking equipment, and vehicles. listing
When a market participant notifies the ISO that a qualified installed capacity resource is available for selection (dispatch). LLC
limited liability company LMP
locational marginal price LMP
lead market participant LMP calculator
The software tool used to establish the price for electric energy purchases and sales at specific locations throughout New England (i.e., nodes, zones, and the Hub), accounting for the locational marginal value and cost of energy, including the loss and congestion costs of delivering it. LNG
liquefied natural gas LNS
local network service load
The demand for electricity measured in megawatts; electricity consumption; the amount of electric power delivered to any specified point on a system, accounting for the requirements of the customer&#;s electrical equipment. load balancing
When the total amperage requirements of a system&#;s electrical equipment are distributed equally among the available electrical circuits in the system. load clearing
The demand for electric energy satisfied in an auction and in the Day-Ahead Energy Market. load factor
The ratio of the average hourly load during a year (in kilowatts) to peak hourly load. load forecast
An estimation of the future demand for electricity. load management
The use of installed measures, systems, or strategies by end-use customers to curtail their electrical usage during peak hours or shift electrical use to off-peak hours to reduce the amount of capacity needed to deliver an acceptable level of electric power service to those facilities. A type of active demand capacity resource. load obligation
The sum of metered load, exports, and load-shifting contracts for which a lead participant is financially responsible. load power factor LPF The ratio of a generator&#;s real power (i.e., active power; the portion of the flow of electric energy that performs work or energy transfers, measured in megawatts) to its apparent power (i.e., the product of the voltage and current that comprises real and reactive power, measured in megavolt-amperes. load response
A reduction of load by demand capacity resources based on a price signal or a request from the ISO to do so for reliability reasons. load shedding
Controlled or scheduled power outages (controlled blackouts) to balance the demand for electric energy with limited supply. load shifting
The changing of capacity requirements from one supplier to another when customers choose different suppliers. Also the changing of the time of electricity contribution, often from peak to off-peak hours. Used in the Forward Capacity Market to denote the 90-day resettlement changes in responsibility. load-response program LRP An expired day-ahead and real-time ISO program that provided incentives to market participants to reduce their electric energy consumption in the New England region during periods of high wholesale prices. load-serving entity LSE An entity that secures and sells electric energy, transmission service, and related services to serve the demand of its end-use customers at the distribution level. LOB
load obligation bilateral local benefit upgrade LBU An upgrade, modification or addition to the transmission system that is (1) rated below 115 kV or (2) rated 115 kV or above and does not meet all of the nonvoltage criteria for classification as a pool transmission facility as specified in the ISO&#;s Open-Access Transmission Tariff. local control center LCC In New England, six facilities run by transmission owners responsible for, with certain exceptions, operating transmission facilities rated 69 kV and above. Tasks include reactive dispatch, with ISO New England providing area oversight; implementation of emergency procedures at the direction of ISO operations personnel; actual switching of transmission elements; and power-system monitoring and real time contingency analysis in parallel with the ISO&#;s master control center. local distribution company LDC A regulated utility company, such as for electric power or natural gas, that distributes its commodity or service in its assigned geographical service territory. Electric power LDCs maintain the low-voltage portions of the electric power grid (i.e., transmission line with a voltage of less than 69 kV and associated equipment), transferring electric power from the high-voltage transmission system (69 kV and above) and delivering electricity on demand to residential and small commercial customers. Natural gas LDCs buy gas for resale to end users, delivering the gas from interstate pipelines to end-user facilities. local network service LNS Per Schedule 21 of the ISO&#;s Open-Access Transmission Tariff (OATT), participating transmission owners&#; (PTOs&#;) local-level transmission service for the delivery of electric energy and capacity from network resources to their network customers, and the delivery of energy and capacity to or by network customers from New England markets transactions, through the local service schedules (e.g., rates, terms, and applicable conditions) that permit network customers to efficiently and economically use their resources to serve their loads. Each PTO&#;s OATT Attachment E Service Agreement defines the transmission facilities comprising its local network. local resource adequacy LRA A Forward Capacity Market requirement for a capacity zone in the New England Control Area and for the rest of the New England Control Area to ensure that New England meets its resource adequacy planning criteria, as specified in Market Rule 1, Section III.12.1, such that the loss-of-load expectation (LOLE) of disconnecting noninterruptible customers due to resource deficiencies is not more than 0.1 day each year. The LRA requirement accounts for the megawatts of resources electrically located within the zone or area, including import capacity resources on the import-constrained side of the interface; proxy-unit additions in the zone or area; firm load added or subtracted within the zone or area to make the region&#;s LOLE equal to 0. days/year; and the capacity-weighted average of the forced-outage rate modeled for all resources in the zone or area, including for the proxy unit additions to the zone. local second contingency LSC The loss of the facility that would have the largest impact within one of New England&#;s eight reliability regions after the first facility in the reliability region is lost. Also, a constraint in a reliability region met by maintaining an operating reserve that can increase output when the first contingency occurs. local system planning LSP Transmission planning conducted by participating transmission owners that describes transmission system reliability needs for nonpool transmission facilities (non-PTFs), including local public policy transmission upgrades, and reflecting local system planning studies and proposed solutions; identifying the local planning process and the criteria, data, and assumptions used; enabling formal stakeholder input to planning for non-PTFs not incorporated into regional system planning; and ensuring the opportunity for Planning Advisory Committee participation in the LSP process. locational installed capacity LICAP A proposed but not implemented monthly market-based solution in New England that involved using a demand curve to determine the price for electric energy as capacity levels changed. Long-Term Transmission Right LTTR Per the US Energy Policy Act of , a required mechanism in organized electricity markets that facilitates the planning and expansion of transmission facilities to meet the reasonable needs of load-serving entities (LSEs) for satisfying their service obligations and enabling them to secure firm transmission rights (or equivalent tradable or financial rights) on a long-term basis for long-term power supply agreements made or planned to meet such needs. To correlate the LTTR concept with existing New England terminology based on Financial Transmission Rights (FTRs), the market rules in New England refer to "long-term Financial Transmission Rights" (LFTRs). LOS
loss of source loss of off-site power event LOOP Per the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the simultaneous loss of electric power to all unit safety buses (also referred to as emergency buses, "Class 1E buses," and vital buses), requiring all emergency power generators to start and supply power to the safety buses and potentially requiring the nonessential buses to be de-energized as a result. The ISO&#;s Control Room Operating Procedure (CROP)., Reporting Procedures, considers a LOOP event a Category 2 event that requires analysis reporting. loss of source LOS When a resource providing energy to the electric power system within a region or to surrounding regions goes off line in response to a contingency. A LOS limit from all resources is in place for each region to prevent interface constraints or other impacts on any of the interregional systems. Low-Emissions Renewable Energy Certificate LREC A tradable, nontangible commodity representing the eligible renewable generation attributes of 1 megawatt-hour of actual generation from a grid-connected, low-emitting renewable resource, such as a fuel cell, with each state with LRECs setting the qualifying resource size, emissions level, and other criteria. Also see Renewable Energy Certificate and Renewable Energy Credit. Lower SEMA (LSM)
lower southeastern Massachusetts lower southeastern Massachusetts Lower SEMA (LSM) A regional system planning study area in Massachusetts comprising the New Bedford and Plymouth districts and Cape Cod. lowest-achievable emission rate LAER Pursuant to the US Clean Air Act, the rate of emissions for any source that reflects (1) the most stringent emission limitation contained in any of the states&#; implementation plans for such a source class or category, unless the owner or operator of the proposed source demonstrates that such limitations are not achievable, or (2) the most stringent emission limitation achieved in practice by such a source class or category, whichever is more stringent. low-sulfur fuel oil LSFO No. 2 diesel (distillate) fuel oil that has a sulfur level between 15 ppm and 500 ppm (inclusive), used primarily in motor vehicle diesel engines for on-highway use. LP
lead participant LPF
load power factor LPG
liquefied petroleum gas LRA
local resource adequacy LSC
local second contingency LSP
local system planning LSR
local sourcing requirement LV
low voltage M&V Plan
Measurement and Verification Plan Maine load zone ME One of eight defined areas in New England, this one encompassing the State of Maine except for its northern tip, that include aggregations of pricing nodes used for wholesale energy market settlement. See load zone. Maine Power Reliability Program MPRP A major reliability project that includes the addition of significant new 345 kilovolt (kV) and 115 kV transmission facilities and new 345 kV autotransformers at key locations in Maine. The MPRP provides infrastructure needed to increase the ability to move electric power from New Hampshire into Maine and improves the ability of the transmission system within Maine to move power into local load pockets as necessary. Most of the MPRP projects entered service by the first half of , with the Lewiston loop portions of the project scheduled to enter service in . Maine subarea ME Regional System Plan subarea that includes western and central Maine and Saco Valley, New Hampshire. major transmission element MTE As defined in ISO Operating Procedure No. 3 (OP 3), Transmission-Outage Scheduling, a significant type of "Category A" or "Category B" transmission facility that (1) affects generators and dispatchable asset-related demand (DARD) resources or places restrictions on the operation of generators or DARDs; (2) can be further identified as, or referenced in, defined external or internal interfaces; or (3) can be referenced in a transmission operating guide, and that may have a significant impact on the reliable or economic operation of the New England transmission system and thus may have greater exposure than other transmission facilities to being canceled or denied because of economic impacts. (OP 3 generally defines Category A facilities as all transmission lines with a voltage level of 115 kV and above, except for the ones designated as Category B facilities in accordance with the current Transmission Operating Agreement; all transmission intertie between control areas; all transformers that have Category A facilities connected to the lower voltage side of the transformer; all transformers that require a Category A facility to be taken out of service when the transformer is taken out of service; and all breakers and disconnects connected to, and all associated equipment specifically installed to, support the operation of such transmission lines, interties, and transformers. Category B facilities generally are all 115 kV radial transmission lines and 69 kV transmission lines that are not interties between control areas; all transformers that only have Category B facilities connected to the lower voltage side of the transformer, except to the extent such transformers are designated as Category A facilities; and all breakers and disconnects connected to, and all associated equipment specifically installed to, support the operation of Category B facilities.) manual response rate MRR The megawatt/minute rate at which a generator&#;s output is capable of changing by manually controlling the unit, used for generator auditing, redeclarations, purchasing winter capability, determining activation of reserves, and other measures. MAPE
mean absolute percent error marginal
Barely exceeding a lower limit, such as a resource&#;s offer in the wholesale electricity markets that is slightly higher than the market clearing price. marginal emissions rate
A measure (pounds/megawatt-hours; lb/MWh) of the energy-weighted average emissions from a unit that would typically increase its output if the regional energy demand were higher during the period of interest In New England. Assumed marginal units typically are natural-gas-fired generators and oil-fired generators, including those burning residual, distillate, diesel, kerosene, and jet fuel. The marginal emissions rate is calculated by dividing the emissions from the assumed marginal units during the desired period in pounds by the generation (MWh) from the assumed marginal units. Assumed marginal units also may be expressed as lb/million British thermal unit (MMBtu) by applying a systemwide conversion factor. marginal heat rate
A measure (million British thermal unit/megawatt-hour; MMBtu/MWh) of how efficiently assumed marginal units (i.e., in New England, units fueled with natural gas or oil, including residual, distillate, diesel, kerosene, and jet fuel) convert fuel to electricity. This rate is equal to the amount of fuel consumed by the assumed marginal units divided by the actual generation of the assumed marginal units. marginal loss component
A component of the locational marginal price for electric energy that reflects the marginal cost of additional losses caused by supplying an increment of load at that location. marine and hydrokinetic energy, marine and hydrokinetic power MHK Technologies that use waves, currents, and ocean thermal resources to generate electricity. Maritimes and Northeast Pipeline M&N; M&NP A natural gas pipeline that transports natural gas from offshore Nova Scotia to markets in Atlantic Canada and the northeastern United States. market efficiency transmission upgrade METU A type of transmission upgrade in ISO New England primarily designed to reduce the total net production cost to supply the system load, including the costs for electric energy, capacity, reserves, and losses and those associated with bilateral prices for electricity. market information server MIS An electronic repository for numerous types of customer reports on wholesale energy market results, settlement details, external ties, winter reliability performance, and many other aspects of the markets, accessible to customers through secure file transfer protocol accounts. market monitoring and mitigation
The process of reviewing wholesale electricity market activities and outcomes, including participant behavior, price anomalies, implementation issues, actions in one market that affect the price in another market, and short- and long-term market efficiency, to assure that market outcomes are consistent with a competitive market. market operator interface MOI A computer interface used by ISO New England system operators to manage the real-time market (also see EMS market user interface). market resource alternative MRA A supply or demand resource alternative to a regulated transmission solution, at one or more locations in an area, for meeting an ISO transmission system reliability need in that area identified in a needs assessment or other transmission study. market settlement system MSS An ISO system for financially settling market participant transactions associated with the various wholesale electricity markets, market products, and other services. Market Support Services MSS ISO department that assists market participants with their new and existing accounts, addresses inquiries from participants and other interested stakeholders, provides ISO training programs, and offers other services to ISO customers. Markets Committee MC A standing technical committee of the New England Power Pool (NEPOOL) and one of the principal committees that advises the NEPOOL Participants Committee and the ISO on the rules and procedures governing the operation of the wholesale electricity markets, recommends action by the Participants Committee, and may act on its behalf when necessary. master control center MCC The ISO in its role as operator of all transmission facilities in the New England region rated 115 kilovolts and above. maximum-achievable control technology MACT As set forth in the US Clean Air Act&#;s National Emissions Standard for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAPS), the maximum degree of emissions reductions the US Environmental Protection Agency has determined is achievable for an emissions source category, taking into consideration the costs of achieving such reductions and any non-air-quality health and environmental impacts and energy requirements. maximum-allowable operating pressure MAOP Per the minimum US safety standards for the transportation of natural gas and other gas by pipeline, the maximum pressure at which a pipeline or segment of pipeline may be operated; applicable for gas transmission lines, distribution lines, master meters, and liquefied petroleum gas systems, with consideration of location, design of the pipe and its components, system pressure or leakage tests, operating history, and overpressure protection. MC
Markets Committee MCC
master control center MCL
maximum capacity limit MDE
maximum daily energy MDI
Mount Desert Island ME
Maine subarea ME
Maine load zone MEA
Marginal Emissions Analysis mean absolute percent error MAPE A measure of the accuracy of a forecasting method&#;s predictions and the magnitude of a forecast error, which the ISO&#;s internal market monitor has used for estimating the accuracy of a demand response resource&#;s baseline load reductions. mechanical draft cooling tower
A device of a power plant (or other industrial facility) that cools heated process water or other fluid using mechanical fans that draw air through the tower and into contact with the heated fluid. megavolt MV 1 million volts. megavolt-ampere MVA A measure of the capacity of electrical equipment; see kilovolt-ampere (kVA). megavolt-ampere reactive MVAR A measure of reactive power incapable of doing work, equal to 1 million volt ampere reactive. megawatt MW A unit of power equal to one million watts or 1,000 kilowatts; a measure of the capacity of a power station. megawatt-hour MWh A unit for measuring electric power or the rate at which energy is produced or consumed; equal to 1,000 kilowatts of electricity used for one hour, or 1,000 kilowatt-hours. Also equal to 1 million (10<sup>6</sup>) watts. megawatt-month MW-month The energy produced by one megawatt of generation over a period of one month. Memorandum of Understanding MOU A formal agreement between two or more parties to establish official partnerships or indicate an intended common line of action; used in New England, for example, among the ISO, New England Power Pool, and the New England States Committee on Electricity (NESCOE) to delineate NESCOE&#;s terms of operation, operating agreement, and code of conduct. MEPCO Grandfathered Transmission Service Agreement MGTSA A Maine Electric Power Company (MEPCO) long-term, firm point-to-point Transmission Service Agreement between the ISO and a transmission service provider, with a point of receipt or point of delivery at the New Brunswick border and a start date before June 1, , where the holder has elected this grandfathered treatment (as further described in the ISO&#;s Open Access Transmission Tariff, Sections 11.44 and II.45.1), including for elevated scheduling and curtailment transactions in the Real-Time Energy Market, reservation priorities, terminations, and other provisions. merchant transmission facility MTF An independently developed and funded transmission facility in the region subject to the operational control of the ISO, pursuant to an operating agreement specific to each facility. merchant transmission operating agreement MTOA An agreement between the ISO and a merchant transmission facility owner with respect to its facility&#;s offer of transmission service. mercury Hg A highly toxic metallic element occurring in rock deposits around the world, including coal, which when burned for fuel emits volatized vapors harmful to human health and the environment. Meter Data Error RBA Submission Limit
The date 30 calendar days after the issuance of an invoice containing the results of a data reconciliation, according to the process described in Market Rule 1, Section III.3.6. METU
market efficiency transmission upgrade MGTSA
MEPCO Grandfathered Transmission Service Agreement Mid-America Interconnected Network MAIN A former regional reliability council for coordinating electric power system planning and operating activities in 10 Midwestern states, dissolved December 31, , and realigned with the Southeastern Electric Reliability Council. Midwest Reliability Organization, and ReliabilityFirst Corporation. mileage payment
A payment to a generator providing regulation service according to how much the generator&#;s output fluctuates (in megawatts) in response to a regulation signal sent by the ISO. milepost MP A post indicating the distance in miles from a given point; also a post placed one mile from a similar marking post. million MM Denotes million in gas usage. million British thermal units MMBtu (Sometimes shown as MBtu.) million cubic feet MMcf A gas measurement. Min Gen
Minimum Generation (Emergency) Minimum Generation (Emergency) Min Gen A type of abnormal system condition declared by the ISO for which it anticipates requesting one or more generating resources to operate at or below its economic minimum limit. A widespread power outage that greatly reduces the demand for electric energy compared with the forecasted demand is one type of situation for which the ISO will declare a Minimum Generation Emergency to reduce the excess amount of electric power available. MIS
market information server MM
million MMBtu
million British thermal units MMcf
million cubic feet MOI
market operator interface MOPR
Minimum Offer Price Rule MOU
Memorandum of Understanding Mount Desert Island MDI Largest island off the coast of Maine with an area of 108 square miles. MP
milepost MPRP
Maine Power Reliability Program MPSA
Market Participant Service Agreement MPV
monthly performance value MRA
market resource alternative MRR
manual response rate MSS
Market Support Services MSS
market settlement system MSW
municipal solid waste MTE
major transmission element MTF
merchant transmission facility MTO
merchant transmission owner MTOA
merchant transmission operating agreement MUI
market user interface muni
municipal utility muni
municipality municipal solid waste MSW Nonhazardous garbage generated and collected by municipalities that contains biogenic materials, such as paper, cardboard, food and yard waste, wood, and leather products, and nonbiomass materials, including plastics and other synthetics. Some MSW is burned at "waste-to-energy" combustion plants to produce steam or electricity; at landfills, methane gas released from MSW can be recovered, converted, and used as an energy source. ISO New England reports on energy from MSW in its "Other Renewables" category. municipal utility muni Local government service provider of electricity, natural gas, water, sewage treatment, waste collection and management, or telecommunications, for example, for individuals living or working within that district. municipality muni A city or town with a corporate status and its own local government and the community under the town&#;s jurisdiction. MV
megavolt MVDR
measurement and verification of demand reduction MW
megawatt nameplate, nameplate capacity
The rating of a generator and a measure of its ability to produce electricity. NASDAQS
National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation System National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation System NASDAQS An electronic quotation system that provides price quotations to market participants about the more actively traded common stock issues in the "over-the-counter" (OTC) market. Some ISO market participant companies are affiliated with NASDAQ and are traded on NASDAQ. National Emissions Standard for Hazardous Air Pollutants NESHAP US Environmental Protection Agency stationary source standards for pollutants known or suspected to cause cancer or other serious health effects, such as reproduction effects or birth defects, or adverse environmental effects. Leaks, flares, and excess emissions from refineries, chemical plants, coal-fired power plants, and other industries emit hazardous air pollutant. National Environmental Policy Act NEPA US law requiring all branches of the federal government to properly assess the likelihood of significant effects on the environment of a potential major federal action and possible alternative actions before undertaking the action. The results of these studies can lead to either an approval or denial of the action or its alternatives and, if necessary, the agency&#;s plans for mitigation and monitoring activities. National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System NPDES A US Environmental Protection Agency permitting program, managed by the states, which regulates point sources that discharge pollutants to waters of the United States. Certain power plants with cooling water discharges are subject to NPDES regulations. natural draft cooling tower
A device of a power plant (or other industrial facility) that cools heated process water or other fluid using exhaust air rising in a hyperbolic shape of sufficient elevation (reaching 500 ft), which creates a temperature differential between the top and bottom of the tower and cools the heated fluid as it contacts the rising air. natural gas NG Flammable gas used as a fuel for heating, electricity, and cooking, primarily consisting of methane and other hydrocarbons; occurs naturally underground, often in association with petroleum. natural gas combined-cycle NGCC A type of power plant the uses a gas turbine to generate electricity and, with the waste heat from the gas turbine, spins a nearby steam turbine to produce more electricity. NB
New Brunswick NBP
NOX Budget Program NCIS
Network Capability Interconnection Standard NCQP
new capacity qualification package NCSP
Northeast Coordinated System Plan NECPUC
New England Conference of Public Utilities Commissioners negative spark spread
Uneconomic conversion of natural gas into electricity, which occurs when the wholesale price of electricity is less than the cost to produce it (fuel price multiplied by the heat rate). NEL
net energy for load NEMA
Northeastern Massachusetts subarea NEPA
National Environmental Policy Act NEPOOL
New England Power Pool NERC
North American Electric Reliability Corporation NESCOE
New England States Committee on Electricity NESHAP
National Emissions Standard for Hazardous Air Pollutants Net Supply Capability
Maximum Net Supply a facility is physically and contractually able to inject into the transmission or distribution system at its Retail Delivery Point. Network Capability Interconnection Standard NCIS An energy-only standard that includes the minimum criteria the ISO requires to permit a generator to connect to the transmission system so that it has no adverse impacts on reliability, stability, or the operation of the system. network model
The computer-based representation of physical transmission system assets used by ISO New England. network resource capability NRC The maximum gross and net megawatt electrical output of a generating facility at a point of interconnection (POI) at an ambient temperature at or above 50 degrees Fahrenheit (°F) for summer and at or above 0°F for winter. The NRC for a generating facility that includes multiple energy production devices is the aggregate maximum gross and net megawatt electrical output of the facility at the POI at or above 50°F and 0°F ambient summer and winter temperatures, respectively. A facility&#;s NRC is equal to or greater than its capacity network resource capability. For generating facilities that meet the grandfathering criteria under Section 5.2.4 of the Large Generator Interconnection Procedures (Open-Access Transmission Tariff, Schedule 22), the NRC is the total megawatt amount determined pursuant to that section. network topology processor NTP An Energy Management System application that calculates the real-time state of an electric power network by determining the connectivity (i.e., energized or de-energized status) of the network&#;s metering devices and the locations in the network (e.g., bus sections, breakers, switches) of these devices, which are either telemetered or updated manually by system operators. New Brunswick NB Eastern Canadian province from which ISO New England imports electricity over an interface whose limit is reevaluated annually. new cap qual
new capacity qualification New England Conference of Public Utilities Commissioners NECPUC Organization representing the utility regulatory bodies of the New England states. New England Power Pool NEPOOL A group formed in by the region&#;s private and municipal utilities to foster cooperation and coordination among the utilities in the six-state region for ensuring a dependable supply of electricity. Today, NEPOOL members are ISO stakeholders and market participants. New England States Committee on Electricity NESCOE A not-for-profit entity organized under various state and federal laws and recognized by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission; representing the collective perspective of the six New England governors in regional electricity matters and advancing the New England states&#; common interest in the provision of electricity to consumers at the lowest possible price over the long-term, consistent with maintaining reliable service and environmental quality. New England Wind Integration Study NEWIS Conducted by GE Energy Applications and Systems with EnerNex and AWS Truepower and published in December , a comprehensive, two-year ISO study of integrating wind in New England, which used a detailed on- and offshore model of New England wind; showed a snapshot of the hypothetical small, medium, and large wind power penetrations for ; and highlighted the impact of 14 wind-development scenarios on the operation of the New England power system. New Hampshire load zone NH One of eight defined areas in New England, this one encompassing the State of New Hampshire, that include aggregations of pricing nodes used for wholesale energy market settlement. See load zone. NEWIS
New England Wind Integration Study NG
natural gas NH
New Hampshire load zone NH
New Hampshire subarea NICR
net Installed Capacity Requirement NIETC
National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor no. 1 diesel fuel
A light distillate fuel oil used in high-speed diesel engines generally operated under frequent speed and load changes, such as those in city buses and similar vehicles. no. 2 fuel oil
A high-grade distillate fuel oil used for residential heating and moderate-capacity commercial and industrial burner units and as a backup fuel for peaking power plants. Also referred to as no. 2 distillate, no. 2 diesel fuel oil, heating oil, light fuel oil, or diesel fuel oil. no. 5 fuel oil
Part of the remaining component of crude oil after gasoline and other distillate fuel oils are extracted. Typically a mixture of no. 6 (75 to 80%) and no. 2 fuel oils; also referred to as a residual fuel oil or heavy fuel oil. no. 6 fuel oil
Remaining component of crude oil after gasoline and distillate fuel oils are extracted; used by oil-burning power plants. No. 6 oil (1%) refers to the percentage of sulfur in the oil; referred to as a residual fuel oil or heavy fuel oil. NOX Budget Program NBP A US Environmental Protection Agency cap and trade program from to that significantly reduced the regional transport of nitrogen oxide (NOX) emissions from electric power plants and other large industrial combustion sources in the eastern United States during the warm summer months, referred to as the ozone season, when ground-level ozone concentrations are highest. Replaced by the ozone season NOX program in under the Clean Air Interstate Rule, which required further summertime NOX reductions from the power sector. nodal price
The price for electric energy received or furnished at a node on the electric power system within any given hour. node
A point on the transmission system for which nodal prices are calculated. no-load cost
The amount ($/hr) that must be paid to participants with an ownership share in a generating unit scheduled to operate in the New England wholesale energy market. A payment in addition to the start-up fee and price offered to supply electric energy for each hour. noncoincident peak load
The sum of contributor peak loads (MW) on the bulk power system that occurred on different days and hours. non-demand-reduction-value output
The amount of an asset&#;s distributed-generation output that exceeds the average hourly load of its facility and the portion of the monthly demand-reduction value (mDRV) that does not receive gross ups when calculating the resource&#;s capacity value. nonfirm gas
natural gas delivered under a contract that allows the transportation service to be interrupted to avoid interfering with or restricting gas deliveries having a higher priority. no-notice service
When natural gas pipeline companies provide gas on short notice. nonprice retirement request NPRR An irrevocable request submitted in a Forward Capacity Auction to retire the entire capacity of a resource, subject to an ISO review for reliability impacts and that supersedes any other delist bids submitted. If the ISO determines the resource is needed for reliability, the resource owner can either retire the resource as requested or continue to operate it until the reliability need has been met and then retire the resource. See retirement delist bid. NOR
Norwalk subarea North American Electric Reliability Corporation NERC Not-for-profit international regulatory authority for assuring the reliability and security of the bulk power system in North America, with an area of responsibility spanning the continental United States, Canada, and the northern portion of Baja California, Mexico, Develops and enforces reliability standards; annually assesses seasonal and long-term reliability; monitors the bulk power system through system awareness; and educates, trains, and certifies industry personnel. Serves as the Electric Reliability Organization for North America, subject to the oversight by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and Canadian governmental authorities. Northeast Coordinated System Plan NCSP Report generated collaboratively by ISO-NE, New York ISO (NYISO), and PJM on current and planned joint activities conducted under the Northeastern ISO/RTO Planning Coordination Protocol, which ensures that the electric power system is planned on a wider, proactive and well-coordinated interregional basis. Abbreviation often includes report year (e.g., NCSP17 for report). Northeast Power Coordinating Council, Inc. NPCC For the State of New York; the six New England states; and Ontario, Québec, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia, Canada, a not-for-profit corporation that promotes and enhances the reliability of the international, interconnected bulk power system in North America. Develops regional reliability standards; assesses and enforces compliance with these standards, continent-wide and regionally; and coordinates system planning, design, and operation among its regional entities. Northeast Reliability Interconnection NRI A major 85-mile, 345-kilovolt transmission line extending from Orrington, Maine to the St. Croix River near Baileyville; interconnecting with a similar line built in New Brunswick, Canada; and linking the electrical power systems of Maine and the Canadian Maritime provinces. Northwest Vermont Reliability Project NRP A 75-mile, 345-kilovolt transmission line between West Rutland and New Haven, Vermont, with additional line and equipment upgrades, that significantly increases the capacity of the power lines between New Haven and Burlington. Norwalk Harbor--Northport, NY, Cable (formerly called the New York transmission line) NNC A 138-kilovolt AC underwater cable between Northport, New York and Norwalk, Connecticut, interconnecting ISO New England and the New York ISO. NPDES
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System NPRR
nonprice retirement request NRC
network resource capability NRCP
net regional clearing price NRI
Northeast Reliability Interconnection NRP
Northwest Vermont Reliability Project NTA
nontransmission alternative NTP
network topology processor NX-12; NX-12E
Forms submitted to ISO New England that identify technical data associated with assets. NY
New York Balancing Authority Area O3
ozone ODR
other demand resource offer
A request to provide supply (in megawatts) at a specific location on the electric power system. offer floor price OFP For a new capacity resource, the project-specific lowest price at which the resource can remain in a Forward Capacity Auction to be profitable. For resources comprised of multiple technology types, the lowest economic auction price based on a weighted average of the technologies&#; floor prices. offer-review trigger price ORTP As part of the buyer-side market power mitigation structure for screening capacity offers from new resources in a Forward Capacity Auction (FCA), a threshold price ($/kW-month) the internal market monitor (IMM) sets for each new resource technology type participating in an FCA, below which any new resource offers are subject to further IMM review; prevents new resources from entering the FCA at prices below their costs. off-peak hours
In New England, weekday hours between 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. and all day Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. See peak hours. offsets
Reductions in greenhouse gas emissions in certain nonelectric sectors, including reductions in landfill gas emissions and sulfur hexafluoride leaks, gas end-use efficiency savings, and afforestation. OFP
offer floor price op cap analysis
operable-capacity analysis Open-Access Same-Time Information System OASIS An internet-based system that provides information to ISO New England customers about available transmission capability and a process for requesting nondiscriminatory transmission service. It enables transmission providers and customers to communicate requests and responses to buy and sell available transmission capacity. ISO New England customers must use OASIS to conduct wheel-through transactions through the import of energy into, or the export of energy out of, the New England Balancing Authority Area via the Real-Time Energy Market. Open-Access Transmission Tariff OATT Section II of the ISO New England Transmission, Markets, and Services Tariff that aims to ensure that all transmission owners and transmission customers have fair and open access to transmission service in New England. Contains details on the rights and responsibilities of transmission owners and transmission customers, as well as the procedures they must follow and the fees transmission customers must pay to access the transmission system. Also sets out the transmission system planning process for the region and the cost-recovery and allocation mechanisms for transmission and ancillary services in the region. operable-capacity analysis op cap analysis An estimate of the availability of an electric power system&#;s net capacity under specific scenarios and load conditions. The results are in the form of operable-capacity margins, which show either an expected system surplus or a deficiency in meeting the conditions. operable-capacity margin
The amount of a power system&#;s resources that must be operational to meet peak demand plus operating-reserve requirements. operating day
A calendar day, beginning at midnight, during which market transactions are scheduled. operating reserve OR The megawatt capability of a power system greater than system demand, drawn from spinning (synchronized) and nonspinning (nonsynchronized) sources of power, which is required for providing frequency regulation, correcting load-forecasting errors, and handling forced outages, and that can be used to recover from a contingency. operating-reserve charge or credit
Formerly used terms meaning a charge or payment made to a participant whose real-time load deviated from the day-ahead schedule. Replaced with Net Commitment-Period Compensation. Do not use this term. operating-reserve cost
A formerly used term meaning a payment to a generator for operating when it was more expensive for it to do so than the price-setting generator in the electric energy markets. Replaced with Net Commitment-Period Compensation. Do not use this term. OPF
optimal power flow optimal power flow OPF A mathematical model representing the problem of determining the best operating state of the power system to meet demand while respecting physical and reliability constraints. In a market environment, the best operating state is maximizing social surplus. OR
operating reserve OTF
other transmission facility other transmission owner OTO An owner of an other transmission facility. OTO
other transmission owner out-of-merit cost
A payment to a generator for operating when it is more expensive for it to do so in the wholesale energy markets than the price-setting generator. out-of-merit dispatch
When higher-priced resources in the bulk power system are committed and dispatched before lower-priced resources to respect system reliability requirements, which results in increased cost to load. ownership share
For settlement purposes, a right or obligation to a percentage share of all credits or charges associated with a generating resource or load asset where the resource is interconnected to the New England transmission system. ozone O3 A chemical created by chemical reactions between nitrogen oxides (NOX) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the presence of sunlight, which at ground level is harmful to health, air quality, and sensitive vegetation and ecosystems. Emissions from industrial facilities and electric utilities, motor vehicle exhaust, gasoline vapors, and chemical solvents are some of the major sources of NOX and VOCs. The ozone season in New England occurs between May 1 and September 30. PA
planning authority PADD
Petroleum Administration for Defense District participating transmission owner PTO An entity that owns and maintains transmission facilities and is a party to the Transmission Operating Agreement between a Regional Transmission Organization (RTO) and a utility whereby the RTO will pay the utility for its transmission system costs in exchange for control of the transmission. particulate matter; PM10, PM2.5 PM A mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets suspended in the air, originating from a variety of sources, such as power plants, industrial processes, and diesel trucks; also formed in the atmosphere by the transformation of gaseous emissions. PMs are composed of coarse and fine particles, although their chemical and physical compositions vary depending on location, time of year, and weather. PM 10 refers to inhalable coarse particles larger than 2.5 micrometers in diameter but smaller than 10 micrometers. PM 2.5 refers to fine particles with diameters less than 2.5 micrometers. pay for performance PFP A Forward Capacity Market project to create strong financial incentives for all capacity suppliers, without exception, to maximize performance and availability during scarcity conditions (i.e., during operating-reserve deficiencies)&#;for ensuring that supply resources face appropriate market-based incentives and have the financial capability to undertake cost-effective investments that improve resource performance and power system reliability. PDC
phasor data concentrator PDR
passive demand capacity resource peak energy rent PER An adjustment in capacity market payments for all generating and import system resources (on line and off line) when prices in the electric energy market go above a certain level (i.e., a strike price that estimates the cost of the most expensive resource on the system), which usually occurs when electricity demand is high. PER prevents an overcollection of payments from two separate markets (energy and capacity) for a resource that performs during periods of high demand. It also encourages a resource to produce electricity during periods of high demand or emergency conditions because a resource not producing electricity during these periods still is subject to the capacity payment adjustment. peak-load generating unit, peaking unit
A generating unit usually on line to meet power system requirements during very high, peak-day load periods when the demand on the system is the greatest and that may be used in response to system contingencies because they can start up quickly on demand and operate for only a few hours; typically operates less than 10% of the year (i.e., a few hundred hours per year) and at a relatively high cost (i.e., when the price of electric energy is high). PER
peak energy rent performance hours
Hours during seasonal performance months when demand capacity resources&#; performance is measured according to demand capacity resource type. performance month
A month when demand capacity resource performance is measured for determining a monthly or seasonal demand-reduction value. Summer months are June, July, and August, and winter months are December and January. The performance of active demand capacity resources is measured in all months when dispatched. permanent delist bid
A delist bid that prohibits a resource from participating in any future Forward Capacity Auction (FCA) or assuming any capacity obligation unless it qualifies for and clears as a new resource in a subsequent FCA. PFP
pay for performance phasor measurement unit PMU A device that measures the electrical waves on a power grid at a remote site using synchronized real-time measurements (i.e., synchrophasors) and Global Positioning System (GPS) technology, which accurately monitor the performance of the grid and provide specific data for operating the system and enhancing its design. planned outage
The planned inoperability of a generator, generally to perform maintenance. planned reserve margin PRM Amount of regional reserve capacity projected to be available in a given year, calculated by subtracting that year&#;s forecasted annual peak load (as published in ISO-NE&#;s CELT Report) from the net Installed Capacity Requirement (NICR). The PRM also can be expressed as a percentage of forecast annual peak load: [(PRM MW) / (forecasted annual peak load MW)] x 100. (Also see actual reserve margin.) Planning Advisory Committee (ISO New England) PAC An open stakeholder forum that provides input and feedback to ISO New England on the regional system planning process, which involves developing and reviewing transmission needs assessments, identifying and prioritizing requests for economic studies to be performed by the ISO, developing solutions studies and competitive solutions, conducting the public-policy transmission study process, and developing the Regional System Plan (RSP) and updates to the RSP Project List and Asset-Condition List. planning authority PA An entity responsible for coordinating and integrating transmission facility and service plans, resource plans, and protection systems. The ISO has registered with the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) as a PA and is responsible for complying with NERC standards applicable to a PA. plug-in electric vehicle PEV Vehicles with electric motors used alone or in combination with a gas engine whose batteries are charged by plugging into an external power source; includes battery electric vehicles (BEVs) that use only the energy stored in rechargeable batteries, plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) that use electric motors and internal combustion engines, and extended-range electric vehicles that have battery packs and gas-powered generators. PMU
phasor measurement unit pool transmission facility PTF A facility rated 69 KV or above owned by a participating transmission owner over which the ISO has operating authority in accordance with the terms set forth in the Transmission Operating Agreements. portfolio bid
A single bid from multiple resources. posturing
Instances in which generators are directed to operate below their economic dispatch point for reliability reasons. pounds per square inch PSI Pressure as pounds of force and square inches of air. pounds per square inch in guage psig The pressure difference between a supply tank and the outside air. Power Purchase Agreement PPA A contract between an entity that generates electricity (the seller) and one looking to purchase electricity (the buyer). power system
The elements of an electrical system, including generation units, transmission lines, distribution lines, substations, and other equipment. power year
A year that runs from June 1 through May 31 of the following year used to calculate the Installed Capacity Requirement for the New England Balancing Authority Area. The ISO calculates the ICR for each upcoming power year through the capacity commitment period associated with a Forward Capacity Auction. Each power year is the same as a capacity commitment period. PPA
Power Purchase Agreement PPTU
public policy transmission upgrade price response
The reduction of electricity consumption in response to a price signal from the ISO in exchange for compensation based on wholesale electricity prices (also see demand response). On June 1, , a new price-responsive demand structure went into effect in ISO New England&#;s marketplace. price-quantity pairs
Price-sensitive bid-block information that consists of a quantity of megawatts and the available dollar price for the megawatts. price-responsive demand PRD Load that reduces its electricity consumption in response to a price signal from the ISO in exchange for compensation based on wholesale electricity prices. price-sensitive demand
The purchase of electric energy up to a certain price. price-taker
A market participant whose buying and selling actions do not affect the market price; a generator that has offered into the market at zero dollars or has self-scheduled, is willing to operate at any price, and is not eligible to set clearing prices. In general, do not use this term. prime mover
The motive force that drives an electric generator, such as a water or steam turbine, which converts thermal or hydraulic energy into mechanical energy that will in turn be converted to electrical energy. Falling water, heat, wind, nuclear, fossil fuels (oil, natural gas, coal), biomass, and the sun are fuels used to drive prime movers. PRM
planned reserve margin probabilistic analysis
An analysis that estimates the level of certainty of an event taking place and that recognizes that the inputs are uncertain. PROMOD
A production cost program that provides detailed representations of the transmission network. Provider-of-Last-Resort Services (POLR Services) POLR A provider of standard offer, transitional standard offer, default, basic electric, or last-resort electricity service, typically a distribution company or a state agency, such as a Public Utilities Commission, that has procured wholesale generation. PSI
pounds per square inch psig
pounds per square inch in guage PTF
pool transmission facility PTO
participating transmission owner public policy transmission upgrade PPTU Improvements or additions to the regional transmission system designed to meet state, federal, and local (i.e., municipal and county) public policy requirements identified as driving transmission needs. Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act PURPA Enacted in , a US law intended to reduce demand, increase the use of domestic energy and renewable energy sources, and diversify the electric power industry; requires competition in the utility industry, which created a market for power from nonutility power producers and led to the restructuring of the industry. pumped storage
Water that has been pumped up to a storage pond for use at a later time to generate electricity. pumped-storage facility
A generating facility that pumps water up to a storage pond, often during periods of low electric energy demand and lower costs, to produce electricity at a later time, particularly when demand and prices are higher. purchasing-selling entity PSE An entity that purchases, or sells, and takes title to, electric energy or capacity; arranges for transmission service required by tariffs; and requests the implementation of arranged interchange. May be affiliated or unaffiliated merchants and may or may not own generating facilities. PURPA
Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act PV
solar photovoltaic QC
qualified capacity QDN
Qualification Determination Notification QUA
Qualified Upgrade Award Qualification Determination Notification QDN A formal, written notification the ISO provides to a project sponsor of a resource they wish to qualify for a Forward Capacity Auction, which includes the ISO&#;s determination of the project status and the resource&#;s qualified megawatts for summer and winter periods; a list of transmission upgrades as part of an initial interconnection analysis, if applicable; and, as determined by the market monitor, the offer-review trigger price for participating in the auction, which is the generic benchmark price (by technology type) representing the low-end estimate of the net cost of new entry (net CONE) (i.e., the estimated break-even revenue contribution required from the capacity market). Qualified Upgrade Award QUA Financial awards granted to entities that pay for transmission upgrades (i.e., generator-interconnection upgrades and elective transmission upgrades) that increase the transfer capability of the New England transmission system and make it possible to award additional Financial Transmission Rights (FTRs) in an FTR auction in an amount consistent with the incremental revenues resulting from the FTRs awarded due to the transmission upgrade. RA
reconfiguration auction RA
Reliability Agreement RAA
Reserve Adequacy Analysis RAA
Resource Adequacy Assessment RACT
reasonably available control technology ramp rate
The rate at which a generating resource can increase its output, usually expressed in megawatts per minute (MW/min.) RBU
regional benefit upgrade RC
reliability coordinator RCP
regulation clearing price reactive power
The component of electric power that contributes no useful work (see real power and apparent power). Also, the total volt-amperes in an electrical circuit that represent the power in the electric fields developed during the transmission of alternating-current power, expressed as volt-ampere reactive (VAR) and megavolt-ampere reactive (MVAR) units. ready-to-respond asset
An asset registered in an ISO demand-response program that has received ISO approval, has installed and made operational all the required metering systems, and has provided sufficient data to the ISO for establishing a customer baseline and the ability to calculate the reduction in demand. real power
The portion of the flow of electric energy that performs work or energy transfers, measured in kilowatts or megawatts; active power (as opposed to reactive power). (Also see apparent power.) real time RT A period in the current operating day for which the ISO dispatches resources to provide electric energy and regulation service and, if necessary, commits additional resources. real-time emergency generation RTEG Before June 1, , distributed generation the ISO called on to operate during certain voltage-reduction or more severe actions, but needed to limit its operation to 600 MW to comply with the generation&#;s federal, state, or local air quality permit(s), as well as the ISO&#;s market rules. RTEG operations resulted in curtailing load on the power system as the distributed energy provided by the emergency generator began serving demand. Effective June 1, , when demand-response resources were fully integrated into the New England markets, all ISO tariff provisions associated with RTEGs were deleted. See demand-response capacity resource and active demand capacity resource. Real-time Locational Marginal Prices RT LMP Prices in real-time energy markets that enable participants to buy and sell electric energy during the day of operation. Real-Time Price-Response Program
A prior ISO New England program whereby participants were paid real-time prices for their voluntary reductions in electricity usage when the forecast hourly zonal price was greater than or equal to $100/MWh. Participants submitted their meter readings to the ISO each day on the same schedule as other meter data or before the end of the 90-day resettlement period. On June 1, , a new price-responsive demand structure went into effect in ISO New England&#;s marketplace. See price response. Real-Time Profiled-Response Program
A retired ISO New England program that called on demand-response resources to interrupt load within two hours of an ISO instruction to do so and used an ISO-approved measurement and verification plan to estimate the resources&#; load response. real-time reserve pricing
A way to co-optimize the use of resources for providing real-time reserves and electric energy by optimizing the use of local transmission capabilities and generating resources to provide the electric energy and reserves. reasonably available control technology RACT Under the US EPA&#;s "New Source Review" program addressing air pollution, required technology on existing sources of emissions in areas not meeting national ambient air quality standards (i.e., nonattainment areas). redeclaration
Restatement of a resource&#;s availability, limits, or other offer or bid parameters, except price-related supply offer data, which market participants submit to ISO New England and that reflect changes in the status or capability of the participant&#;s resource. Also, changes that ISO New England makes to a resource on the basis of the resource&#;s actual performance. REGCAP
regulation capacity Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative RGGI A nine-state program in the Northeast to reduce the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from fossil power plants 25 MW and larger in these states. Each state is allocated a share (allowance) of an annual emissions cap on the basis of historical emissions and negotiations; one allowance equals the limited right to emit one ton of CO2. regional network service RNS The transmission service over the pool transmission facilities (PTFs), including services used for network resources or regional network load not physically interconnected with a PTF. Regional Transmission Organization RTO An independent regional transmission operator and service provider established by the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and that meets FERC&#;s RTO criteria, including those related to independence and market size. The RTO controls and manages the high-voltage flow of electricity over an area generally larger than the typical power company&#;s service territory for its distribution system. regulation
The capability of specially equipped generators to increase or decrease their generation output every four seconds in response to signals they receive from the ISO to balance supply levels with the second-to-second variations in demand. Also see voltage regulation. regulation clearing price RCP The price for regulation service equal to the highest offer from the resources selected to provide regulation service on the basis of least-cost offers per Market Rule 1, Section 11.14.5. regulation resource
A generator that responds to second-to-second dispatch signals to instantaneously balance supply and demand. regulation service
The second-to-second response of generators to dispatch signals for meeting instantaneous variations in demand. reliability
The assurance that electric power is available even under adverse conditions, such as storms or outages of generation or transmission lines. Reliability Agreement RA An agreement made between the ISO and a generator owner whereby an approved generator continues to operate, even when it is not economical to do so, to ensure system reliability, and whereby the generation owner recovers the fixed costs for this operation; formerly termed Reliability Must-Run (RMR) Agreement. Reliability Assessment Program RAP Reliability Assessment Subcommittee RAS reliability coordinator RC The entity with the highest level of authority for reliably operating the bulk electric power system, including the authority to prevent or mitigate emergency operating situations in next-day and real-time operations. The ISO has registered with the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) as an RC and is responsible for complying with NERC standards applicable to an RC. reliability cost
The cost of protecting against a disruption in service or damage to equipment. Reliability Must Run RMR See Reliability Agreement. (RMR is no longer used.) reliability region
A defined region within ISO New England that reflects the operating characteristics of, and the major constraints on, the region&#;s transmission system. These regions contain the load zones. reliability resource
A generator that operates to support the transmission system by providing operating reserve or another service. reliability security
A measure of the reliability of the bulk electric power system in terms of its ability to withstand disturbances arising within the system. reliability transmission upgrade RTU A transmission addition or upgrade necessary to ensure the system&#;s continued reliability and not necessary to support a generator interconnection. Reliability-Must-Run Agreement
See Reliability Agreement. Do not use this term. Reliability-Must-Run resource
A resource scheduled to operate out of economic-merit order and identified by the ISO as necessary to preserve the reliability of a reliability region. See Reliability Agreement. Do not use this term. renewable energy
Sources of fuel continually replenished and never exhausted, such as solar, hydro, wind, selected biomass, geothermal, ocean thermal, and tidal sources of power. Landfill gas also is regarded as a renewable resource, and some states consider fuel cells to be renewable. Pumped hydro is not considered a renewable resource because the electricity for pumping mostly comes from fossil fuel and nuclear (i.e., nonrenewable) generators. representative net Installed Capacity Requirement
An illustrative future Installed Capacity Requirement for the region, minus a monthly value that reflects the annual installed capacity benefits of the Hydro-Québec Phase II Interconnection. The ISO calculates representative net ICR values solely to inform New England stakeholders; these values have not and will not be filed with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for approval. Reserve Adequacy Analysis RAA The analysis the ISO performs at the close of the reoffer period to ensure that adequate resources are committed for meeting the forecasted load and operating reserve requirements for the Real-Time Energy Market. (Not to be confused with &#;Resource Adequacy Assessment&#; or &#;Resource Adequacy Analysis.&#;) reserve capacity
The amount of capacity a system can supply greater than what is required to meet demand. Reserve Sharing Group RSG A group whose members consist of two or more balancing authorities that collectively maintain, allocate, and supply operating reserves required for each balancing authority&#;s use in recovering from contingencies within the group. A balancing authority can become part of a reserve sharing group if it can transfer electric energy to an adjacent balancing authority area to aid in recovery and the energy can be scheduled to be ramped in within 10 minutes or less. The ISO has registered with the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) as an RSG and is responsible for complying with NERC standards applicable to an RSG. reserve zone
An area for which the ISO has established 30-minute operating reserve requirements, which are met by the reserve markets. The New England region has four reserve zones&#;Connecticut, Southwest Connecticut, Northeast Massachusetts/Boston, and Rest-of-System. Reserve-Constraint Penalty Factor RCPF Rates, in $/MWh, that act as a cap on the Forward Reserve Market clearing price, and when reached, signal the marketplace that the system is short of reserves. RCPFs typically are triggered infrequently and are short in duration. Higher RCPFs provide stronger signals for resources to increase reserves supply. reserved capacity
The maximum amount of capacity and electric energy (in kilowatts or megawatts) committed to a transmission customer for transmission over the New England power system between the point of receipt and the point of delivery under the Open-Access Transmission Tariff. Reserve-Shortage Pricing Event
When the balancing authority area is experiencing a deficiency in total 10-minute operating reserves or the ISO is taking actions to maintain 10-minute operating reserves. The ISO also will declare this condition when the balancing authority area is experiencing a deficiency in total operating reserves that has lasted for at least four hours and the ISO has begun taking actions to maintain or restore operating reserves. Residual Supply Index RSI An indication of structural competitiveness of the wholesale electricity markets that identifies instances when the largest supplier has market power and can economically or physically withhold generation and influence the market price. RSI measures the percentage of real-time demand that can be met without energy from the largest supplier&#;s portfolio of generation resources. resource
Any source of electric energy that increases the availability of capacity (in megawatts), such as a generator, a demand-response resource, or an electricity import or external transaction. Resource Adequacy Assessment RAA
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The point on the transmission or distribution system at which the load of an end-use facility, which the host participant meters and assigns a unique account number, is measured to determine the amount of electric energy the transmission or distribution system delivered to the facility. For end-use facilities connected to the transmission or distribution system at more than one location, the retail delivery point consists of the metered load at each connection point, summed to measure the net energy delivered to the facility in each interval. retirement
The permanent removal from service of a facility, which cannot return to service without major refurbishment. retirement delist bid
An irrevocable request to permanently remove capacity from all ISO markets at the start of a capacity commitment period. return on equity ROE A measure of how much income (i.e., profit) a company generates with the equity available to it from shareholders, equal to net income divided by shareholders&#; equity. RFO
Residual Fuel Oil RGGI
Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative Rhode Island load zone RI One of eight defined areas in New England, this one encompassing the State of Rhode Island, that include aggregations of pricing nodes used for wholesale energy market settlement. See load zone. Rhode Island Reliability Project RIRP A component of the New England East-West Solutions that strengthens the 345 kV transmission system and addresses reliability concerns in the three southern New England states, completed in . Rhode Island subarea RI Regional System Plan subarea that includes the part of Rhode Island bordering Massachusetts. RI
Rhode Island subarea RI
Rhode Island load zone RIG
Remote Intelligent Gateway RIRP
Rhode Island Reliability Project RMCP
reserve market clearing price RMR
Reliability Must Run RNA
Restated NEPOOL Agreement RNS
regional network service ROE
return on equity ROP
rest of pool ROS
rest of system ROSE
Region of Stability Existence RP
resource planner RR
resulting reserves RRA
Resource Reliability Assessment RSC
resource scheduling and commitment RSG
Reserve Sharing Group RSI
Residual Supply Index RSP
Regional System Plan RSP subaarea for southern Maine SME Regional System Plan study area comprising southern Maine used for conducting several types of regional system planning analyses, such as production cost simulations. See subarea. RT
real time RTEP
Regional Transmission Expansion Plan RTO
Regional Transmission Organization RTOP
regional transmission operator RTU
reliability transmission upgrade RTU
remote terminal unit SAB
supplemental availability bilateral Sable Offshore Energy Project SOEP Offshore natural gas project off Nova Scotia, Canada producing natural gas and liquids since but expected to be depleted before ; the Maritimes and Northeast Pipeline carries the natural gas to markets in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and the Northeast United States. SAD
supplemental availability designation SBC
system benefits charge SCADA
supervisory control and data acquisition scarcity pricing
Mechanism for compensating on-line generators above the marginal cost of electric energy> for the increased value of their energy when the system or portions of the system are short of reserves. SCC
seasonal claimed capability Scf
standard cubic foot Schedule 20A service provider SSP A provider of firm and nonfirm point-to-point transmission service per the specifications of the ISO&#;s Open-Access Transmission Tariff (OATT), Schedule 20A, which specifies for each provider the facilities, charges, lost opportunity costs, discounts, billing information, creditworthiness requirements, financial assurance, credit levels, financial reviews, and other terms of service. scheduled outage
When a power system element is intentionally shut down, usually to allow for maintenance or other preplanned activities. SCR
selective catalytic reduction SDC
sloped demand curve SEA
state estimator availability seams issues
Trading barriers between adjoining wholesale electricity markets resulting from the use of different rules and procedures by the neighboring markets, which can obstruct the trading or sharing of electric capacity and energy between the two markets and affect the reliability of each system. seasonal claimed capability SCC A generator&#;s maximum production or output during a particular season, adjusted for physical and regulatory limitations. second contingency, second-contingency loss N-1-1, N-2 After the occurrence of a first contingency, the loss of the facility that at that time has the largest impact on the system. Also, a constraint met by maintaining an operating reserve that can increase output when the first contingency occurs. second-contingency reliability cost
The cost of dispatching a resource to protect against a disruption in service in the event of the sudden loss of several generators, other resources, or transmission lines. selective catalytic reduction SCR A post-combustion nitrogen oxide (NOX) control technology for fossil-fired generators, which chemically reduces NOX into molecular nitrogen (N2) and water vapor using a nitrogen-based reducing reagent, such as ammonia or urea, and a catalyst to allow the process to occur at lower temperatures. selective noncatalytic reduction SNCR A post-combustion nitrogen oxide (NOX) control technology for fossil-fired generators, which chemically reduces NOX into molecular nitrogen (N2) and water vapor using a nitrogen-based reducing reagent, such as ammonia or urea, self-schedule SS When a market participant commits and schedules its resource at a determined output level to provide generation within an hour, regardless of price or whether the ISO could have scheduled or dispatched the resource to provide the service. self-supply
When a market participant provides itself with a market product from its own resources rather than purchasing it from the market. SEMA
Southeastern Massachusetts subarea SEMA
Southeast Massachusetts load zone sequential-clearing methodology
A method the ISO used to accept offers for the now-expired Day-Ahead Load-Response Program after an approved solution to the Day-Ahead Energy Market had been determined. settlement-only generator, settlement-only unit; settlement-only resource SOG A generating unit that produces less than 5 MW and is entitled to receive capacity credit but is not centrally dispatched by the ISO control room and is not monitored in real time. settlements model
Computer-based software used to determine financial settlements in ISO New England. SGIA
Small Generator Interconnection Agreement SGIP
Small Generator Interconnection Procedure shortage event
A designated period (hours) of stressed system conditions during which capacity resources are most needed. shortfall
Insufficient revenue. show of interest SOI A form participants submit to the ISO indicating interest in participating in the Forward Capacity Market; contains sufficient information to perform preliminary analysis of the effects of the proposal on the New England power system. SIDU
synchrophasor infrastructure and data utilization SIP
State Implementation Plan SIS
System Impact Study sloped demand curve SDC Graphical representation of the relationship between the price and the consumption level of a market product, where typically the price falls as the consumption level increases. One example of the sloped demand curve is the downward-sloping systemwide demand curve the ISO developed for the ninth Forward Capacity Auction (FCA #9 held in ), which establishes aggregate demand for capacity resources in the New England region over a range of possible prices. The sloped demand curve facilitates the procurement of sufficient capacity in each FCA to maintain resource adequacy and reduce price volatility over time, yielding smaller swings in capacity prices when the market moves from conditions of excess supply to periods when new capacity resources are needed, which occurs as aging plants retire. SLR
static line rating Small Generator Interconnection Agreement SGIA A three-party agreement between a small generating facility (i.e., smaller than 20 MW per the ISO&#;s Transmission, Markets, and Services Tariff, Section II, Schedule 23) wishing to interconnect to the New England transmission system, the transmission owner, and the ISO, addressing the terms for the scope of service, interconnection facilities, testing and inspections, metering, communications, operations, maintenance, performance obligation, billing, emergency actions, regulatory requirements, notifications, defaults, indemnity, environmental releases, and other requirements. smart grid
According to the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), a "next-generation" electrical power system that typically employs the increased use of communications and information technology for generating, delivering, and consuming electrical energy. SMD
Standard Market Design SMD
solar magnetic disturbance SME
RSP subaarea for southern Maine SME
Southeastern Maine subarea SMS
Settlement Market System SNCR
selective noncatalytic reduction SO2
sulfur dioxide SOB
supply obligation bilateral SOEP
Sable Offshore Energy Project SOI
show of interest SOL
system operating limit solar magnetic disturbance SMD A type of geomagnetic disturbance of the Earth&#;s magnetic field (in the case of SMDs, caused by solar flares, coronal mass ejections, solar wind, or solar energetic particles), which can induce a current that enters and exits the electric power system at transformer grounds and, in some cases, cause abnormal voltages, erroneous tripping of needed equipment, and other disruptions in normal system operation. See geomagnetic disturbance. solar photovoltaic PV The production of electric current from sunlight via an electronic process that occurs naturally in certain types of materials, which can power electrical devices or send electricity to the power grid. Solar PV resources participate in the ISO New England wholesale markets. Refers to solar photovoltaic resources. Southern New England Transmission Reinforcement (Study) SNETR A comprehensive analysis of bulk power system needs for the southern New England region conducted from about to , which was followed by a series of transmission upgrades completed over the subsequent years collectively called the New England East-West Solutions (NEEWS). SPC
system production cost special protection system SPS Power system equipment designed to detect abnormal system condition and take corrective action other than the isolation of faulted elements. SPEED
Sustainably Priced Energy Development Program SPI
Strategic Planning Initiative spinning
On-line capacity electrically synchronized to the system. spinning reserve
On-line operating reserve capability in excess of load and synchronized to the system, which a generator can fully convert into electric energy within 10 minutes after receiving a request from the ISO to do so. SPITS
System Planning Information Tracking System spot market
A market that typically involves short-term, often interruptible contracting and immediate delivery of specified volumes of electric energy, as opposed to bilateral trading. In New England, the Real-Time Energy Market is a spot market. SPS
special protection system SSCC
summer seasonal claimed capability SSCI
subsynchronous control interaction SSP
Schedule 20A service provider SSR
subsynchronous resonance standard cubic foot Scf A measurement of natural gas. Standards Authorization Request (NERC) SAR A request to the North American Electric Reliability Corporation to propose a new Reliability Standard or a revision to an existing standard. start-up fee
The dollar amount that must be paid to a market participant with an ownership share in a generating resource each time the resource is scheduled to begin operating (start up). STATCOM
static synchronous compensator state estimator availability SEA A minimum North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) requirement for measuring the percentage of time the state estimator provides valid, useful estimates of the state of the power system, such that it provides at least one estimated solution for (1) at least 97.5% of clock 10-minute periods (six nonoverlapping periods per hour) during a calendar month, and (2) every continuous 30-minute interval during a calendar day&#;to better ensure that real time network analysis, such as contingency analysis, can be performed and produce valid results. State Implementation Plan SIP The US Environmental Protection Agency-approved collection of regulations and documents a state, territory, or local air district uses to reduce air pollution from the six EPA-established "criteria" air pollutants (i.e., widespread common pollutants known to be harmful to human health) in areas that do not meet the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) established as part of the US Clean Air Act. Statement on Auditing Standards No. 70 SAS70 A widely recognized auditing standard developed by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and used by the ISO that addressed the examination of a service&#;s organization&#;s control objectives and control activities; replaced in by the Statement on Standards for Attestation Engagements (SSAE) No. 16 as the authoritative guidance for examining a service audit, and then SSAE 18 in , which the ISO presently uses. static delist bid
A delist bid submitted for a resource before a Forward Capacity Auction&#;and that cannot be changed during the auction&#;requesting for the resource to opt out of a capacity supply obligation and reflecting either the cost of the resource or a reduction in ratings as a result of ambient air conditions. The ISO may be required to submit a static delist bid on behalf of a resource that would not be able to supply its awarded capacity during the winter because its summer-qualified capacity is greater than its winter-qualified capacity. static line rating SLR A power flow rating of an overhead transmission line for determining load constraints, limiting line sag, and maintaining acceptable electrical clearances based on suitably conservative estimates for weather conditions, including ambient temperatures (or seasonal temperatures for seasonal SLRs), wind speed, solar angles, and other parameters. static synchronous compensator STATCOM A flexible alternating-current transmission system (FACTS) voltage-source converter device that helps regulate an alternating current (AC) transmission network with a poor power factor and often poor voltage regulation; consists of a direct current (DC) voltage source behind a power electronic interface connected to the AC grid through a transformer, providing grid operators a controllable voltage source with an improved range of operational voltage and faster response time. static VAR compensator SVC A flexible alternating-current transmission system (FACTS) device on a high-voltage transmission network that typically can quickly and reliably regulate and control line voltages to the required set-point reference values under normal steady-state and contingency conditions, thereby providing dynamic, fast-response reactive power following system contingencies (e.g. network short circuits, line and generator disconnections); also able to increase transfer capability, reduce losses, mitigate active power oscillations, and prevent overvoltages at loss of load. Consists of thyristor-controlled reactors (TCRs), which vary the current flow through the reactor to continuously control the reactive power output; thyristor-switched capacitors (TSCs) (i.e., capacitors with reactors and thyristor valves that switch the capacitor in and out of service); and fixed capacitors, which act as an harmonic filter by absorbing the harmonics generated by the thyristor switching and supplying a fixed reactive power to the grid. step-down transformer
A transformer, usually located on the distribution system, that converts electricity from a higher to a lower voltage. step-up transformers
A transformer, usually located at a generator site, that converts electricity from a lower to a higher voltage. Strategic Planning Initiative SPI A planning initiative the ISO, New England states, and regional stakeholders launched in to identify, analyze, understand, and determine near-term and long-term solutions for the region&#;s foremost risks to the reliable supply of electricity, including the region&#;s increased reliance on natural gas, power plant retirements, the integration of a greater amount of renewable resources, resource performance and flexibility, and the alignment of the market resource procurement process with the system planning process (i.e., the timing for determining system planning requirements and transmission solutions). Many of the ISO&#;s completed or ongoing key projects resulting from this initiative are designed to enhance the region&#;s competitive wholesale electricity markets and ensure reliable operation of the power grid. subarea
One of 13 zones into which the system is divided for conducting several types of regional system planning analyses, such as production cost simulations. sulfur dioxide SO2 A chemical harmful to human health and the environment emitted from the burning of fossil fuels by power plants and other industrial facilities. Short-term exposures to SO2 can harm the human respiratory system. High concentrations of SO2 in the air generally also lead to the formation of other sulfur oxides (SOX), which can react with other compounds in the atmosphere to form harmful particulate matter (PM) pollution. SO2 and other sulfur oxides can contribute to acid rain, which can harm sensitive ecosystems. See Acid Rain Program. summer seasonal claimed capability SSCC For participation in the Forward Capacity Market, the capability for most types of new or existing nonintermittent generating assets to perform under specified summer conditions (June to September) for a specified duration; its median net output during hours ending 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. (i.e., 1:01 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.) and any applicable shortage-event hours. superconducting synchronous condenser SuperVAR A high-temperature superconducting dynamic synchronous condenser that can provide peak and dynamic reactive compensation (leading/lagging) to a power system. SuperVAR
superconducting synchronous condenser supply
Electricity delivered to the system; generation. supply margin
Available generation (megawatts) beyond the amount needed to meet demand. supply offer
A resource&#;s proposal to furnish electric energy at a node or provide regulation service, which includes a dollar price and megawatt quantity, timing information, and other information. Sustainably Priced Energy Development Program SPEED A program initiated by the Vermont legislature in , facilitated by the Vermont Energy Education Program, (VEEP) Inc., to encourage the development of renewable energy resources in Vermont as well as the purchase of renewable power by the state&#;s electricity distribution utilities; now includes a Standard Offer Program to encourage the development of SPEED resources by making long-term contracts at fixed prices available to qualified renewable energy facilities and a mandate by state law to use a market-based mechanism to determine pricing for standard-offer projects and other provisions. SVC
static VAR compensator SWCT
Southwest Connecticut load zone SWCT
Southwest Connecticut subarea synchronous condenser
A combustion turbine (generator) or a hydroelectric resource synchronized to a transmission system that operates as a motor (i.e., it is consuming energy). Also, rotating equipment (or a generator with 0 MW output) that can provide dynamic voltage support, typically designed and operated as separate equipment from generating units. synchronous generator
A typical type of generator connected to the network. system benefits charge SBC A charge on a electric utility bill that supports technology and market development activities relevant to the power system designed to fund certain "public benefits," such as energy assistance for low-income consumers, renewable energy projects, energy research and development, and energy-efficiency programs, The ISO accounts for each New England state&#;s SBC when estimating the annual energy-efficiency forecast for each state and regionwide. system emissions rate
A measure (pound/megawatt-hour; lb/MWh) of the annual emissions produced by all generators in the region (lb) divided by the annual generation in the region (MWh). The emissions data are obtained from the US EPA Clean Air Markets database, and the generation data are obtained from ISO New England settlements. system operating limit SOL A value (such as megawatt, megavolt-ampere reactive [MVAR], ampere, frequency, or volt) for the most limiting of the prescribed operating criteria for a specified bulk electric power system configuration that ensures operation within acceptable reliability criteria. (Also see interconnection-reliability operating limit.) System Planning Information Tracking System SPITS A system the ISO used to identify and track projects in its transmission project listings. T&D loss factor
transmission and distribution loss factor TA
torque amplification TADO
total amount due and owing TAED
topology and analog error detection Tariffs, Schedules, and OASIS Administrator TSO The ISO control center operator responsible for coordinating transfers of electricity with neighboring grid operators in New York, Québec, and New Brunswick, which allow lower-cost electricity to flow into the region and can help during emergencies. TCA
Transmission Cost Allocation Tennessee Gas Pipeline TGP An 11,800-mile natural gas pipeline owned by Kinder Morgan that supplies New England and other parts of the northeastern United States, originating from Louisiana, the Gulf of Mexico, and south Texas. terawatt TW 1 trillion (10<sup>12</sup>) watts; 1 million megawatts. terawatt-hour TWh The amount of electrical energy expended by a 1 trillion-watt load over one hour. TFL
total facility load TGP
Tennessee Gas Pipeline through-or-out service TOUT Delivery of electricity through or from New England to another balancing authority area. thyristor
A solid-state semiconducting electronic device used in many types of circuits and other devices for controlling current, such as to switch reactors and capacitors onto the grid and to convert alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC). thyristor-controlled reactor TCR On a power system, a reactor in series with thyristor valves that vary the current flow through the reactor to continuously control the reactive power output. thyristor-switched capacitor TSC On a power system, a capacitor with reactors and thyristor valves that switch the capacitor in and out of service. TI
torsional interaction tie-reliability benefit
The receipt of emergency electric energy from a neighboring region that accounts for both the transmission-transfer capability of the tie lines and the emergency capacity assistance that may be available from neighboring systems when and if New England would need it; also referred to as tie-line benefits. time-of-use metering
Measuring the use of electric energy (kilowatt-hours) during different time periods, dividing each day, month, and year into various categories, with higher electricity rates at peak load periods and lower rates at off-peak load periods to facilitate a utility&#;s load control and system planning and a customer&#;s use of electricity either through automatic or voluntary load control. TO
transmission owner TOA
Transmission Operating Agreement TOP
transmission operator torque amplification TA A disturbance interaction between a turbine generator and a series-compensated transmission system (i.e., one with reactive power elements inserted in series with the transmission lines for improving voltage stability) that typically results in fast-growing and higher transient shaft torque during or after the disturbance than would otherwise occur; involves a significant fault and very high energy exchange between the series capacitor banks and the generator. torsional interaction TI The interplay between the mechanical system of a turbine generator and a series-compensated transmission system (i.e., one with reactive power elements inserted in series with the transmission lines for improving voltage stability) involving both electrical and mechanical system dynamics. When the natural torsional frequency of a turbine generator is close to the electrical system&#;s natural frequency, and if the negative electrical damping exceeds the inherent positive mechanical damping, torsional interaction and shaft torques could build up to damaging torque levels. total facility load TFL The total load at a facility, calculated for each demand capacity resource asset containing distributed generation, which equals the distributed generation output plus the facility-metered load of the facility. total transfer capability TTC The amount of electric power that can be moved or transferred reliably from one area of the interconnected transmission system to another area by way of all transmission lines between these areas under specified system conditions. TP
transmission planner transfer capability
The amount of megawatts that interconnected electric power systems under specified conditions can reliably transfer from one system to the other over all transmission lines that connect the systems. transmission
The transporting of electricity through high-voltage lines to distribution lines. transmission and distribution loss factor T&D loss factor One plus the average avoided peak transmission and distribution losses estimated to be achieved from demand reductions; transmission losses are assumed to be 2.5%, and distribution losses are assumed to be 5.5%, for a total loss factor of 8%. transmission line
Any line with a voltage greater than 50 kV that carries bulk power over long distances. Typical industry voltages are 69 kV, 115 kV, 138 kV, 230 KV, and 345 kV. Transmission Operating Agreement TOA An agreement between a participating transmission owner and the ISO that, among other things, provides the ISO with operating authority over the entity&#;s commercial transmission facility(ies). transmission operating guide TOG A document or operating plan written by ISO New England electrical engineers that prescribes actions to address thermal, voltage, or stability operating limits for transmission facilities and resources. TOGs are typically created for a specific device out of service, and sometimes for a specified load value within New England. TOGs can include transmission switching actions to preserve reliability, or prescribe generation requirements for a given configuration of the transmission system. transmission operator TOP An entity responsible for the reliability of its "local" transmission system and that operates or directs the operations of the transmission facilities. The ISO has registered with the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) as a TOP and is responsible for complying with NERC standards applicable to a TOP. transmission owner TO An entity that owns and maintains transmission facilities. transmission planner TP An entity that develops a long-term plan (generally one year and beyond) for the reliability (adequacy) of the interconnected bulk electric transmission systems within its portion of the Planning Authority area. The ISO has registered with the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) as a TP and is responsible for complying with NERC standards applicable to a TP. transmission-loading relief TLR North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) Eastern Interconnection-wide procedures some ISOs use for preventing operating-security-limit violations while respecting transmission service reservation priorities. However, ISO New England does not use TLR procedures or initiate transmission-loading-relief requests for inter-control-area interchange transactions to manage parallel flows or to initiate curtailments. Because of the geographical and electrical relationship the ISO New England Control Area has with other systems in the Eastern Interconnection, parallel flows associated with inter-control-area transactions do not flow through the ISO New England Control Area in sufficient magnitude to require the use of TLR or TLR-like procedures. TSA
Transmission Security Analysis TSA
Transmission Service Agreement TSP
transmission service provider TTC
total transfer capability TU
transaction unit TW
terawatt UCAP
unforced capacity UDS
unit dispatch system UDS
unit dispatch and scheduling UFLS
underfrequency load shedding ULS
Ultra Low Sulfur ULSD
UltraLow Sulfur Diesel ULSK
Ultra Low Sulfur Kerosene unforced capacity UCAP The amount of installed capacity associated with a resource, adjusted for availability. unit opportunity cost
The estimated cost each generating unit would incur if it adjusted its output as necessary to provide its full amount of regulation. United Illuminating Company UI unloaded operating capacity
Operational capacity not generating electric energy but able to convert to generating energy. unplanned outage
When equipment is forced out of operation as a result of a discovered problem, but the request for the outage did not meet the timing requirements for it to be considered a planned outage. Unplanned outages are categorized as emergency outages or forced outages. uplift
Payments to resources operated out of merit. See Net Commitment-Period Compensation. up-to-congestion contracts
External contracts in the Day-Ahead Energy Market that do not flow if the congestion charge is above a specified level. Real-time external transactions cannot be submitted as up-to-congestion contracts; market participants with real-time external transactions always are considered to be willing to pay congestion charges. UVLS
undervoltage load shedding value of lost load VOLL The standard metric used to estimate the economic impact of disruptions in electric power service to customers ($/megawatt-hours). VAR
voltage ampere reactive variable-frequency transformer VFT A controllable, bidirectional transmission device used to transmit and control the flow of electricity between two asynchronous (or synchronous) alternating current (AC) power networks, such as two control areas. VER
variable energy resource Vermont load zone VT One of eight defined areas in New England, this one encompassing the State of Vermont, that include aggregations of pricing nodes used for wholesale energy market settlement. See load zone. Vermont Long-Range Plan (transmission system plan) VT LRP The 20-year transmission plan of Vermont Electric Power Company (VELCO), the operator of Vermont&#;s transmission system. The plan, updated every three years, identifies reliability concerns and the transmission projects and transmission alternatives needed to maintain grid reliability. Vermont subarea VT Regional System Plan subarea that includes Vermont and southwestern New Hampshire. Virginia&#;Carolina region of the Southeastern Electric Reliability Council VACAR A Southeast Electric Reliability Council (SERC) subdivision that includes the territories of several operating entities, including Duke Energy Progress, Inc.; Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC; South Carolina Electric and Gas Company; South Carolina Public Service Authority; and the Yadkin Division of Alcoa Power Generating Inc., a subsidiary of Alcoa Inc. VOC
volatile organic compound volatile organic compound VOC Gases, many of which are hazardous and have short- and long-term adverse health effects, emitted from certain solids or liquids, such as when gasoline, wood, coal, and natural gas are burned, and from oil and natural gas fields; diesel exhaust; solvents, paints, varnishes, and glues; numerous household products, including cleaning, disinfecting, cosmetic, and degreasing products; building materials; and office equipment. When combined with nitrogen oxides, VOCs react to form ground-level ozone (i.e., smog), which contributes to climate change. Examples of VOCs are gasoline; benzene; formaldehyde; solvents such as toluene and xylene; styrene, and perchloroethylene (or tetrachloroethylene), the main solvent used in dry cleaning. VOLL
value of lost load volt; voltage V An electromotive force or electric pressure that pushes electrons through a material, like water pressure in a pipe. voltage regulation
When an electric power system provides constant voltage over a range of load conditions. voltage reliability cost
The cost of dispatching a unit or taking other actions to maintain voltage levels and the stability of the transmission network. voltage stability
The ability of an electric power system to maintain steady voltages at all buses in the system after being subjected to a disturbance from a given initial operating condition; affected by the power system&#;s ability to maintain and restore equilibrium between its load demand and load supply. voltage support
An ancillary service of the New England wholesale electricity markets a resource provides for maintaining voltage-control capability, which allows system operators to maintain transmission voltages within acceptable limits. voltage-ampere reactive VAR A measure of reactive power. volt-ampere VA The amount of apparent power in an alternating current (AC) circuit equal to a current of one ampere at an electromotive force of one volt; equivalent to a watt. VSC HVDC
voltage-source converter HVDC VT
Vermont subarea VT
Vermont load zone W
watt WACOG
weighted average cost of gas watt W The rate or ability of doing work. A measure of the real power used by a piece of electrical equipment. One watt equals 1/746 horsepower. WCSB
Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin WEA
wind energy area weather-normalized load factor
The ratio of the average hourly demand during a year to the peak hourly demand, both adjusted to normal weather conditions. weather-normalized results
Analytical results that would have been observed if the weather were the same as the long-term average. weighted average cost of gas WACOG The weighted average unit cost of a supply of natural gas, calculated as the total cost of all natural gas purchased during a base period divided by either the total quantity purchased. (unit of production) or the system throughput (unit of sales) during the same period. Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin WCSB A 1.4 million kilometer sedimentary basin underlying western Canada, including southwestern Manitoba, southern Saskatchewan, Alberta, northeastern British Columbia, and the southwest corner of the Northwest Territories that holds one of the world&#;s largest reserves of petroleum and natural gas and supplies much of the market in North America; also has a large coal reserve. Western/Central Massachusetts load zone WCMA One of eight defined areas in New England, this one encompassing the western and central parts of Massachusetts, that include aggregations of pricing nodes used for wholesale energy market settlement. See load zone wheel through
The transmission of electric power from one system to another over a third party&#;s transmission lines. wheel-through contracts
Contracts in which both generation and the delivery of electric energy occur outside the New England balancing authority area and are submitted into the market system for scheduling. wholesale electricity markets, wholesale electric power market
The sale of electric energy by generators to resellers (retailers) along with the ancillary services needed to maintain reliability and power quality at the transmission level. Use wholesale electricity markets or wholesale electricity marketplace not wholesale electric markets. Use the plural when collectively referring to New England&#;s wholesale electricity markets. Wholesale Markets Project Plan WMPP Report ISO-NE published annually to describe key wholesale energy market initiatives underway and planned for the upcoming three years to ensure an efficient and reliable power system in New England. Updates to the WMPP are published throughout the year on the ISO&#;s website. Abbreviation often includes report year (e.g., WMPP15 for report). Wholesale Markets Project Plan WMPP The ISO&#;s key market initiatives underway and planned for the upcoming three years to ensure an efficient and reliable power system in New England. Updates to the WMPP are published throughout the year. Wholesale Price Index WPI A measurement that tracks a country&#;s changes in the price of goods at stages before the retail level, indicating the country&#;s level of inflation; expressed as a ratio or percentage. wind energy area WEA Area on the Outer Continental Shelf established by the US Department of Interior&#;s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) considered appropriate for commercial offshore wind energy development, with a goal of minimizing conflicts with existing uses and the environment; several WEAs are off the coast of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Wind Power Forecast Integration Project WPFIP A centralized wind power forecasting service completed in that includes (1) communications and database systems for exchanging data relevant to wind power forecasting between wind plants throughout ISO New England and the wind power forecaster service; (2) wind power situational awareness displays and functions for operators; (3) incorporation of the forecasts into the day-ahead and periodic unit-commitment refinement processes; (4) a suite of wind power forecast services, including intraday, day-ahead, and week-ahead deterministic and probabilistic forecasts with corresponding event-type forecasts and a daily updated forecast narrative. wind project development area WPDA For its Economic Study, an ISO-NE-defined area within the bulk power system for quantifying the economic impacts on potential wind resource development in that area (based on projects in the ISO&#;s Interconnection Request Queue at that time) from transmission interface constraint between the area and load centers. WPDAs were defined for Vermont, western and southeastern Massachusetts, northern and southern New Hampshire, northern and central Maine, and Connecticut. winter seasonal claimed capability WSCC For participation in the Forward Capacity Market, the capability for most types of new or existing nonintermittent generator asset to perform under specified winter conditions (October to May of the following year) for a specified duration; its median net output during hours ending 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. (i.e., 5:01 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.) and any applicable shortage-event hours. Winter Supplemental Program WSP A prior ISO program (/) for maintaining system reliability that increased the availability of up to 450 MW of additional demand capacity resources to respond in the event of an energy-shortage condition during that winter. Program participants that reduced or transferred load or provided incremental generation received an incentive payment. without-price contract
A contract for the flow of electric energy under the assumption that transfer capacity and conforming arrangements with the external system are available. with-price contract purchases and sales
The buying and selling of electric energy that will not flow unless transfer capacity is available, conforming arrangements with the external system are in place, and the New England locational marginal price is above the specified price level for purchases or below the specified price levels for sales. WMA
Western Massachusetts subarea WMP
Wholesale Markets Plan WMP
Wholesale Markets Plan WMPP
Wholesale Markets Project Plan WMPP
Wholesale Markets Project Plan WPDA
wind project development area WPFIP
Wind Power Forecast Integration Project WPI
Wholesale Price Index Wright Interconnection Project (of the Iroquois Transmission System) WIP A Federal Energy Regulatory Commission-approved natural gas pipeline expansion project in Wright, New York, owned by Iroquois Gas Transmission, being developed in conjunction with the proposed Constitution Pipeline to enable the delivery of up to 650,000 dekatherms per day of natural gas from the terminus of the Constitution Pipeline in Schoharie, New York, into both the Iroquois and Tennessee Gas Pipelines 15-year capacity lease with Constitution. The proposed Constitution Pipeline is being developed to bring natural gas supplies from northeastern Pennsylvania (i.e., the Marcellus supplies) to New York and New England, markets presently served by Iroquois. Planned in-service date is the end of . WSCC
winter seasonal claimed capability WSP
Winter Supplemental Program Zero-Emission Renewable Energy Certificate ZREC A market-priced product in Connecticut representing the positive environmental attributes associated with each megawatt-hour of electricity produced by a zero-emission form of generation, such as solar photovoltaics, wind, and some small hydroelectric facilities, which the system owner can sell to its local utility, earning a financial benefit in addition to selling the energy the facility produced. The utilities use the resulting ZRECs for compliance with the state&#;s Renewable Portfolio Standards. zone
An aggregation of nodes in the New England Balancing Authority Area.
Additional reading:2 days per week, 16 hours per day&#;typically the weekend peak hours of 6:01 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. (aka, hour ending 7 to hour ending 22). 2 x 24; 2/24
2 days per week, 24 hours per day&#;typically weekend days. 24 x 7; 24/7; 24-7
24 hours per day, 7 days per week. 5 x 16
5 days per week, 16 hours per day. 5 x 16
5 x 16 5 x 8; 5/8
5 days per week, 8 hours per day. 50/50 peak load 50/50 A peak load with a 50% chance of being exceeded because of weather conditions, expected to occur in the summer in New England at a weighted New England-wide temperature of 90.2°F, and in the winter, 7.0°F. 90/10 peak load 90/10 A peak load with a 10% chance of being exceeded because of weather conditions, expected to occur in the summer in New England at a weighted New England-wide temperature of 94.2°F, and in the winter, 1.6°F. AC
alternating current ACE
area control error ACI
activated carbon injection ACP
alternative compliance payment activated carbon injection ACI A post-combustion mercury control system for a coal-fired electric power plant, which injects specially treated activated carbon into the flue gas where it absorbs mercury that a downstream particulate-control device then removes. ADCR
active demand capacity resource ADR
alternative dispute resolution advanced metering infrastructure AMI Part of &#;smart grid" initiatives, the full measurement and collection system that includes meters ("smart meters") at an electricity customer&#;s site, communication networks between the customer and a service provider, and data reception and management systems that make the information available to the service provider. AGT
Algonquin Gas Transmission Algonquin Gas Transmission AGT Natural gas pipelines owned by Spectra Energy Partners, supplying New England, New York, and New Jersey and connecting to the Texas Eastern Transmission and Maritimes and Northeast pipelines. Algonquin Incremental Market (Spectra Energy project) AIM A Spectra Energy Partners project to expand the natural gas pipeline capacity of the existing Algonquin Gas Transmission pipeline across New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts. alternating current AC A type of electric current that reverses direction many times per second at regular intervals; used by most electric utilities in the United States. (Compare with direct current.) Alternative Capacity Price Rule APR Former rule in the Forward Capacity Market designed to address the potential price distortion effect of out-of-market resource participation; replaced with the Capacity Carry Forward Rule, circa December . alternative dispute resolution ADR A procedure by which a neutral individual or firm settles a dispute between two other parties as an alternative to litigation. Market Rule 1, Appendix D, outlines the ISO&#;s ADR procedure for settling disputes between a market participant and the ISO. Alternative Portfolio Standard APS A program in Massachusetts (and other states outside New England) that provides incentives to retail electricity providers for developing alternative electricity technologies, as a complement to meeting the state&#;s standards for developing renewable sources of energy. Also called Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard and Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard; see Renewable Portfolio Standard. Alternative Technology Regulation Pilot Program ATR A program run by ISO New England from to permitting resources using certain new, alternative technologies to provide and be paid for regulation service on a trial basis. The program was a response to Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Order No. 890, Preventing Undue Discrimination and Preference in Transmission Service (), and led to a redesign of New England&#;s Regulation Market in to permit participation by these technologies. American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of (US) ARRA A US law for making supplemental appropriations for job preservation and creation, infrastructure investment, energy efficiency and science, assistance to the unemployed, and state and local fiscal stabilization, enacted on February 17, . AMI
advanced metering infrastructure ampere (current) A The rate of the flow of electrons through a material. AMR
Annual Markets Report ANI
adjusted net interchange ANN
artificial neural network Annual Markets Report AMR Annual report presenting the ISO-NE internal market monitor&#;s most important findings, market outcomes, and market design changes of New England&#;s wholesale electricity markets. Abbreviation often includes report year (e.g., AMR15 for report). Annual Reconfiguration Transaction
An agreement that seeks to achieve the equivalent of a fixed price private transfer based on the intent of one participant to shed a resource&#;s capacity supply obligation (the transferring party/resource) and the desire of another participant to acquire a CSO (the acquiring party/resource) in an annual reconfiguration auction (ARA) Annual Reliability Report ARR Report summarizing ISO-NE activities related to reliable system operations and system performance. Sections within the report meet the requirements of the Transmission Operating Agreement. Abbreviation often includes report year (e.g., ARR05 for report). apparent power
The product of the voltage (volts) and current (amperes) that comprises active (real) and reactive power, measured in volt-amperes (VA), kilovolt-amperes (kVA), or megavolt-amperes (MVA). Appendix H
Appendix H of Market Rule 1, Operations during Cold Weather Conditions Appendix H of Market Rule 1, Operations during Cold Weather Conditions Appendix H Provisions for the coordination of the different scheduling timeframes between the natural gas and electric power systems and the formal processes needed among the ISO, owners of gas-fired generation, and the natural gas industry during cold weather conditions. APR
Alternative Capacity Price Rule APS
Alternative Portfolio Standard ARA
annual reconfiguration auction ARM
actual reserve margin ARP
Acid Rain Program ARR
Auction Revenue Right ARR
automatic response rate ARR
Annual Reliability Report artificial neural network ANN Sophisticated computational system inspired by the way the human brain processes information. Applications include pattern recognition and predictive computations for use in weather forecasting and similar tasks that depend on a large number of variables. ASM
Ancillary Services Markets project asset-related demand ARD A dispatchable or nondispatchable physical load that has been modeled within the ISO&#;s dispatch and settlement systems. assigned meter reader
The entity that submits to the ISO the hourly and monthly megawatt-hours associated with the operation of an asset, which are used for settlement purposes. assumed marginal unit
An electric generating unit assumed to increase or decrease generation to economically meet a unit change in load, usually calculated for 1 MW. ATC
available transfer capability ATR
Alternative Technology Regulation Pilot Program ATRR
alternative technology regulation resource Auction Revenue Right ARR An entitlement to receive revenue generated by the sale of a Financial Transmission Right in a specific auction. automatic response rate ARR For generating resources providing regulation service, the amount of the resource&#;s output, in megawatt-minutes, a market participant is willing to change between the resource&#;s regulation high and low limits. automatic voltage regulator AVR A device used to automatically maintain a constant voltage, therefore regulating the output of a generator. available transfer capability ATC A measure of the transfer capability remaining in the physical transmission network for further commercial activity over and above already committed uses. AVR
automatic voltage regulator BA
balancing authority BAA
balancing authority area Bangor Hydro Electric Company BHE A former regulated electric transmission and distribution utility in Maine, now owned by Emera, an energy company based in Nova Scotia, Canada. Baseline Telemetry System BLTS The system the ISO uses to compute the baselines for demand-response resources, which represent the levels at which the resources are expected to consume energy during an operating day when not being dispatched by the ISO to reduce demand. baseload generating unit
A generating unit that satisfies all or part of the minimum load of a system, producing electric energy continuously (typically more than 70% of the year), at a constant rate, and close to maximum output. These units usually are economic to operate day to day. BBLS
Blue Barrels (42 gallons &#; oil barrel) BC
bilateral contract behind the meter BTM Refers to distributed generation installations located behind a customer load. benchmark price
An estimate of the market-clearing price that would result if the buying and selling actions of each market participant did not affect the market price and the market operated with perfect efficiency. best-available control technology BACT A US Clean Air Act emissions limitation for a specific pollutant based on the maximum degree of control a regulated entity (i.e., major polluting source) can achieve, case by case, with consideration of energy, environmental, and economic impacts. BACTs can be add-on control equipment or a modification to a production process or methodology. Refer to best-available technology. best-available technology BAT As defined by the US Clean Water Act, the best available, economically achievable performance of plants in a regulated industrial subcategory or category (e.g., power plants), as set by a permitting authority, with consideration of the costs to achieve BAT effluent reductions; the age of equipment and facilities involved; the process the industry employs and potential process changes; non-water-quality environmental impacts, including energy requirements; and other factors EPA deems appropriate, to minimize the adverse environmental impact of, for example, cooling water intake structures. BHE
Northeastern Maine subarea BHE
Bangor Hydro Electric Company BHE
BHE subarea bid
A request to purchase a certain amount of electric energy (megawatts) at a specific location on the system. bid-intercept price
An estimate of the price of electric energy using submitted supply offers but ignoring unit operating constraints. bilateral contract BC A contract between a buyer and seller of wholesale electricity, which provides price certainty for both parties. bilateral trading
The purchase and sale of electric energy or regulation obligations between two market participants. The energy (megawatts) is traded through the ISO from one market participant to another. binding constraint
A system or transmission limitation that affects price formation in one of the ISO&#;s wholesale electricity markets for either all of New England or within a specific area affected by the constraint. blackout
The unplanned and emergency loss of electricity due to a failure of the generation, transmission, or distribution system. blackstart
When a generating unit goes from a shutdown condition to an operating condition without electrical support from the grid after a system blackout. black-start unit
A generating unit that has the ability to quickly go from a shutdown condition to an operating condition using its own batteries or compressed air, not electricity from the power system it is connected to. BLTS
Baseline Telemetry System BOSTON (all caps)
BOSTON subarea bottled generation
The situation when electricity produced in one area cannot be transmitted to other areas because of a transmission constraint. British thermal unit Btu A measurement of the heat content of fuels; also the power of heating and cooling systems, such as furnaces and air conditioners. BTM
behind the meter Btu
British thermal unit Bunker
Bunkering is the supply of fuel (or "bunkers") for use by ships, and includes the shipboard logistics of loading fuel and distributing it among available bunker tanks. bus
An electrical node or point of interconnection to the electric power system where power is available for transmission. Also, an electrical conductor that serves as a common connection for two or more electrical circuits. busbar
A large rigid conductor typically used in a substation to feed and direct electric power to two or more circuits. C4
four largest competitors C8
eight largest competitors CA
control area CAGR
compound annual growth rate CAMS
Customer and Asset Management System capability period
One of two specific time periods within a power year. The summer period is June 1 through September 30; the winter period is October 1 through May 31. capacitor
A passive two-terminal electrical component that stores potential energy in an electric field. capacity
The rated and continuous load-carrying ability, expressed in megawatts or megavolt-amperes, of generation, transmission, or other electrical equipment. (Also see reserve capacity.) capacity commitment period CCP The one-year period from June 1 through May 31 of the following year for which Forward Capacity Market capacity supply obligations are assumed and payments are made; same as a power year. capacity factor
The ratio of the electrical energy a generating unit produced for a certain period to the electrical energy it could have produced at full operation during the same period. capital funding charge CFC The costs of budgeted capital items, which the ISO collects from market participants for costs the ISO does not finance. carbon dioxide leakage
Increased carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from lower-cost electric energy generated outside the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) region and imported into the region, offsetting, in part, the reduced CO2 emissions by generators within the RGGI states. cascading outage
The uncontrolled successive loss of bulk electric system facilities that interrupts electric service and cannot be restrained from spreading beyond a predetermined area, triggered by an incident (or condition) at any location on the system. (Also see interconnection-reliability operating limit.) CASPR
Competitive Auctions with Sponsored Policy Resources CATR
Comprehensive Area Transmission Review CB
customer baseline CC
combined cycle CCP
capacity commitment period CCRP
Central Connecticut Reliability Project CEII
Critical Energy Infrastructure Information Central Connecticut Reliability Project CCRP A 345 kV transmission line upgrade between North Bloomfield and Frost Bridge, Connecticut. Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity CPCN A type of regulatory compliance certification a private company requires from a federal or state public board or commission before it can construct the facilities or provide services deemed in the public interest. Certificate of Public Good (VT) CPG A license the Vermont Public Service Board issues to utilities and cable operators that impose conditions for providing those services. CFC
capital funding charge CFLA
critical facility loading assessment CFR
Code of Federal Regulations CHP
combined heat and power CIP
critical infrastructure protection circular mil CM A unit of area used to measure the cross section of a wire or cable. One circular mil equals the area of a circle whose diameter is 0.001 (10-3) inch. claim 10
The generation output level, expressed in megawatts, a resource can reach within 10 minutes from an off-line state after receiving a dispatch instruction. Or, the amount of reduced consumption, expressed in megawatts, a dispatchable asset-related demand capacity resource can reach within 10 minutes after receiving a dispatch instruction. claim 30
The generation output level, expressed in megawatts, a resource can reach within 30 minutes from an off-line state after receiving a dispatch instruction. Or, the amount of reduced consumption, expressed in megawatts, a dispatchable asset-related demand capacity resource can reach within 30 minutes after receiving a dispatch instruction. claimed capability
A generator&#;s maximum production or output. Clean Air Act (US) CAA A federal law that regulates air emissions from stationery and mobile sources and authorizes the US Environmental Protection Agency to establish National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for protecting public health and public welfare and to regulate emissions of hazardous air pollutants. Clean Air Act Amendments of (US) CAAA Revisions to Section 112 of the US Clean Air Act that required the US Environmental Protection Agency to issue technology-based standards for major sources of air pollution (i.e., a stationary source or group of sources that emit or have the potential to emit 10 tons per year or more of a hazardous air pollutant or 25 tons or more of a combination of hazardous air pollutants) and certain nonmajor stationary sources. Clean Air Mercury Rule (US EPA) CAMR A US Environmental Protection Agency rule of , vacated by the DC Circuit Court in , which established mercury performance standards for new and existing coal-fired utilities for reducing their mercury emissions, regulating these emissions through a cap-and-trade program under Clean Air Act, Section 111 (refer to Mercury and Air Toxics Standard; MATS). clean coal
A marketing term for coal that has been chemically washed of minerals and impurities and sometimes gasified and burned, with the flue gasses treated with steam, to reduce the amount of sulfur dioxide in the coal and, typically, recover and store some of the coal&#;s carbon dioxide so that it is not released into the atmosphere. Use "new coal technology" instead. Clean Energy Standard (MA) CES A proposed market-based framework in Massachusetts for providing signals to electricity providers to favor lower- and no-emission sources of electricity generation for delivery to customers. Also called Clean Energy Performance Standard. clean resources
Generating resources that emit no or low emissions when generating electricity compared with fossil fuel units. Clean Water Act (US) CWA A federal law establishing the basic structure for regulating discharges of pollutants into US waters and regulating quality standards for surface waters. Under the act the US Environmental Protection Agency has set wastewater and cooling water standards for various industries, including electric utilities. See the Cooling Water Intake Rule. cleared
When a market has been settled, such that the quantity offered (supplied) matches the quantity bid (demanded), the amount to be bought and sold has been determined, and the a settlement between the buyers and sellers is possible. clearing price CP In wholesale electricity markets, the price for electric energy determined by matching the dollar and volume bids to buy the energy with the offers to sell the energy. Forward Capacity Market clearing prices match the offers to sell electric energy at some future point with the peak demand forecasted for that time. CLO
capacity load obligation CLOB
capacity load obligation bilateral CM
circular mil CMR
Code of Massachusetts Regulations CNR
capacity network resource CNRC
capacity network resource capability Coal Combustion Residue Rule (US EPA) CCRR Final rule of the US Environmental Protection Agency&#;s Resource Conservation and Recovery Act establishing requirements for coal-fired power plants for the disposal of coal combustion residuals, or coal ash, in landfills and surface impoundments. Code of Federal Regulations CFR The codification of the general and permanent rules published in the Federal Register by the departments and agencies of the federal government. Code of Massachusetts Regulations CMR The compilation of the regulations of Massachusetts&#; state agencies. coincident peak load
The largest sum of all energy load (demand) values at one specific time in a particular geographic area, sometimes measured instantaneously and, other times, as the highest aggregated hourly value. Also called coincident peak demand. combined heat and power CHP Through a single, integrated process, the generation of electric energy and the recovery of useable thermal energy, such as steam or hot water, which can be used for space heating, cooling, domestic hot water, and industrial processes but that typically goes to waste. CHP systems can achieve efficiencies of over 80% compared with 50% for conventional generators. Also known as cogeneration. See combined-cycle gas turbine. combined-cycle gas turbine CCGT A power generator that uses both a gas and a steam turbine to produce electricity more efficiently than a simple-cycle generator by routing the heat from the gas turbine to a nearby steam turbine to generate the extra power. See combined heat and power. combustion turbine (generator) CT A type of engine that compresses air to a higher pressure in a chamber into which fuel is sprayed and ignited, creating a high-temperature, high-pressure flow of air that spins a turbine and generates electric energy. Competitive Auctions with Sponsored Policy Resources CASPR A market-based mechanism for accommodating the entry of New England state-sponsored new resources into the Forward Capacity Market, beginning with the thirteenth Forward Capacity Auction (FCA #13) (in February for the / capacity commitment period), for maintaining competitively based capacity prices; introduces a substitution auction to be held annually after the primary FCA that will enable new resources unable to acquire a capacity supply obligation (CSO) in the primary auction to obtain one from an existing resource that acquired one in the primary auction but is willing to permanently retire from all markets. composite offer
When capacity resources participate together to maximize a combined offer in a Forward Capacity Auction, for example, when a resource with more summer capacity than winter capacity pairs its summer excess with the winter excess from a resource with more winter capacity than summer capacity. compound annual growth rate CAGR A calculation of the rate at which electric energy use or peak load would have grown if it grew at a steady rate. The CAGR equals the nth root of the total percentage growth rate, where n equals the number of years in the period under consideration. Comprehensive Energy Plan (VT) CEP Prepared by the Vermont Department of Public Service and required by statute, a 20-year framework and recommended public and private sector actions to advance the state&#;s energy policy goals. Comprehensive Energy Strategy (CT) CES Prepared by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and required by statute every three years, an analysis of the state&#;s current energy use; examination of opportunities for meeting future energy needs; and recommendations to give state residents, businesses, and industries a number of options for guiding the state toward cheaper, cleaner and more reliable energy. CONE
cost of new entry congestion
A condition that arises on the transmission system when one or more restrictions prevents the economic dispatch of electric energy resources from serving load. Also, a condition that occurs when the transfer capability is insufficient for simultaneously implementing all the preferred schedules for the transmission of electric energy. Congestion Revenue Fund CRF ISO fund containing the sum of the imbalances in the congestion component settlements used for paying "congestion rents" for holders of Financial Transmission Rights who are paid the difference in day-ahead congestion charges between two defined pricing points. Congressional Research Service CRS A part of the US Library of Congress that works exclusively for the US Congress to provide policy and legal analysis to congressional committees and members of the House and Senate. Connecticut load zone CT One of eight defined areas in New England, this one encompassing the State of Connecticut, that include aggregations of pricing nodes used for wholesale energy market settlement. See load zone. conservation and load-management C&LM A load-serving entity&#;s (LSE) program for assisting and encouraging its residential, commercial, and industrial customers in implementing cost-effective energy conservation measures, which reduce the total amount of demand the LSE needs to serve, save energy costs, and reduce emissions. constraint
The maximum level a transmission system facility (or facilities) can operate to respect the most restrictive of its thermal, stability, and voltage limits. Consumer Price Index CPI A statistical measure of the changes in the prices an urban consumer pays for a representative basket of goods and services. Cooling Water Intake Rule (US EPA) CWIR US Environmental Protection Agency rule establishing requirements for the location, design, construction, and operation of industrial intake structures, including for power plants, to minimize adverse environmental impacts. See cooling water intake structure. cooling water intake structure CWIS Infrastructure of industrial facilities, including power plants, that pulls large volumes of water from lakes, rivers, estuaries or oceans to cool their operations, which can cause adverse environmental impacts by also pulling large numbers of fish and shellfish or their eggs into the facilities&#; cooling systems. See Cooling Water Intake Rule (US EPA). cooling-degree day
A unit that relates a day&#;s temperature to the demand for electric energy due to air conditioning or refrigeration. It is an estimate of electric energy requirements and indicates fuel consumption for the air conditioning or refrigeration. Cooling-degree days are provided for each degree the daily mean temperature and humidity index are above the baseline of 65. coordinated transaction scheduling CTS A process ISO New England and the New York Independent System Operator follow for submitting and scheduling transactions for exchanging energy at the New York/New England AC interfaces, featuring scheduling every 15 minutes, external transaction bidding, coordinated economic clearing of transactions, and the elimination of fees and charges for interface bids, to facilitate the flow of power from the region with lower costs to the region with higher costs and to save total production costs and lower locational marginal prices in each region. COS
cost of service cost of service COS The amount of revenue a utility needs to operate and maintain facilities, cover capital expenses, and earn a profit. CP
commitment period CP
clearing price CP
criteria pollutant CPCN
Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity CPI
Consumer Price Index CPS
Control Performance Standard CPS
critical path schedule cps
cycles per second CRF
Congestion Revenue Fund critical infrastructure protection CIP A national program regarding the preparedness and response to serious incidents that involve the infrastructures critical to the national and economic security of the country and the wellbeing of its citizens. The 16 critical infrastructure sectors whose assets, systems, and networks are considered so vital to the US that any combination of their incapacitation or destruction would have a debilitating effect on security, national economic security, or national public health or safety include chemical; commercial facilities; communications; critical manufacturing; dams; defense industrial base; emergency services; energy; financial services; food and agriculture; government facilities; healthcare and public health; information technology; nuclear reactors, materials, and waste; transportation systems; and water and wastewater systems. critical load level
The load level at which transmission constraints are respected but where system problems could occur for small incremental changes in load levels. critical path schedule CPS In the Forward Capacity Market, the project schedule a project sponsor must include in a new capacity qualification package (for new generating capacity, new import capacity backed by an external resource, and new demand capacity resources) that contains sufficient detail to allow the ISO to evaluate the feasibility of the project and whether it will meet the requirement to achieve commercial operation as qualified no later than the start of the relevant capacity commitment period. The CPS includes, at a minimum, the dates with the expected milestones for major permits and information on project finance closing, major equipment orders, substantial site construction, major equipment delivery, major equipment testing, commissioning, commercial operation, and the shedding of its capacity load obligation. Cross-Sound Cable CSC A high-voltage direct current (HVDC) electrical transmission cable buried in the Long Island Sound, connecting the electrical grids of New England and Long Island, NY, and capable of providing 330 MW of electrical transmission capacity to customers. CRS
Congressional Research Service CSO
capacity supply obligation CSOB
capacity supply obligation bilateral CT
Connecticut load zone CT
Connecticut subarea CTR
capacity transfer right CTS
coordinated transaction scheduling current (ampere)
The rate of the flow of electrons through a material, measured as amperes. Customer and Asset Management System CAMS An ISO administrative database for storing, maintaining, and managing all customer data and facilitating the registration of demand assets and resources, which is available to customers as an internet-based tool for managing company contacts, committee representation, and subaccounts; granting users access to other ISO internet-based applications; and updating company information. customer baseline CB The average hourly load, rounded to the nearest kilowatt-hour, for each of the 24 hours in a day for a demand asset. customer of ISO New England
An entity that conducts business with ISO New England, such as a transmission customer or market participant. CWIS
cooling water intake structure cycles per second cps A measure of how frequently an alternating current changes directions; see hertz. DA
day ahead day ahead DA The calendar day immediately before the grid&#;s operating day. day-ahead demand-reduction obligation
An obligation each market participant has for each settlement interval at each location equal to the megawatt-hours of its demand-reduction offers the ISO accepted in the Day-Ahead Energy Market. Day-Ahead Load-Response Program DALRP A prior ISO New England program whereby participants made offers to reduce load on the basis of the day-ahead locational marginal price. DC (see HVDC)
direct current DCA
designated congestion area DCF
discounted cash flow DCS
Disturbance Control Standard DDP
desired dispatch point deactivation
The "mothballing" of a facility, such that with minor reconditioning, it could be brought back into service in a relatively short time. dead bus
An inactive bus; a point on the transmission system where electric energy is not available for transmission. DEC
decremental bid decremental bid DEC A financial bid to buy electric energy at a specified location in the Day-Ahead Energy Market; virtual demand not associated with a physical load. Do not use the abbreviation dec. dekatherm Dth 1,000,000 British thermal units (Btu); 1 million Btu (MMBtu); the basis of most natural gas billings accounting for the amount and quality of gas purchased. delist
The temporary removal of a resource from service for various reasons, usually associated with maintenance; the removal of a resource from the Forward Capacity Market. A classification for facilities that can be brought back on line relatively easily. delist bid
A submission in a Forward Capacity Auction for all or part of an existing Forward Capacity Market resource indicating that the resource wants to opt out of the auction for a single commitment period or all future periods before the deadline for qualifying its existing capacity and does not want a capacity obligation below a certain price. demand
Load; the amount of electrical power the power system uses; the level of electricity consumption, measured in megawatts, at a particular time. demand bid
A request to purchase an amount of electric energy at a specific location on the bulk electric power system. Also, a request to purchase an amount of electric energy at a specified price associated with a physical load. demand capacity resource audit and testing tool DR A&TT The ISO&#;s internet-based auditing and tracking tool for demand capacity resources, used for the submittal, scheduling (by the ISO), and management of demand capacity resource seasonal audits, including the approval of audit results and the dissemination of demand-asset results. demand capacity resource dispatch zone
Any one of 19 regions used to dispatch active demand capacity resources. demand capacity resource on-peak hours
Hours ending (HE) 2:00 p.m. through 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday on nonholidays during June, July, and August and HE 6:00 p.m. through 7:00 p.m., Monday through Friday on nonholidays during December and January. demand capacity resource seasonal-peak hours
Those hours in which the actual, real-time hourly load, as measured using real-time telemetry (adjusted for transmission and distribution losses, and excluding load associated with exports and storage dispatchable asset-related demand capacity resources) for Monday through Friday on nonholidays, during June, July, August, December, and January, as determined by the ISO, is equal to or greater than 90% of the most recent 50/50 system peak load forecast, as determined by the ISO, for the applicable summer or winter season. demand response
When a market participant reduces its consumption of electric energy from the network when instructed in exchange for compensation based on wholesale market prices. The ISO has operated three types of demand-response programs: those activated by price, those activated for reliability, and those that reduce on-peak consumption. demand-designated entity DDE Pursuant to ISO Operating Procedure No. 14, Technical Requirements for Generators, Demand Resources, Asset-Related Demands, and Alternative Technology Regulation Resources, an entity designated by a lead market participant that provides dispatch services from a single physical location for active demand capacity resources and is the single point of contact to receive, acknowledge receipt of, and implement ISO dispatch instructions and other relevant communications. demand-response baseline
The expected baseline demand of an individual end-use metered demand-response customer or group of end-use metered customers or the expected generation output levels of an individual end-use metered customer whose asset comprises distributed generation as determined pursuant to Market Rule 1, Section III.8.2. demand-response provider DRP An organization that manages the energy demand of its customers, reducing energy consumption at times of peak demand and high energy prices through advanced metering and controls. Demand-Response Reserve Pilot Program DRR Pilot A small-scale, temporary program in New England from to that tested the ability of smaller demand-response resources to respond to ISO dispatch instructions similar to resources providing operating reserve. The program also assisted ISO system operators in more accurately predicting the likely performance of demand-response resources in varying system conditions and analyzing contingencies. demand-response resource DRR An individual demand-response asset, or an aggregation of demand-response assets within a DRR aggregation zone, registered in accordance with Market Rule 1, Seciton III..8.1.2; can participate in the electricity and reserve markets. demand-side management DSM Actions that modify the amount of electric energy consumed (demand) and the patterns of consumption to optimize available and planned generation resources and defer the need for new sources of electric power (see demand response). demand-side resource
Now termed demand capacity resource, a source of capacity whereby a consumer reduces the demand for electricity from the bulk power system, such as by using energy-efficient equipment, conserving energy in other ways, and using electricity generated on site (i.e., distributed generation). Some demand capacity resources have reduced load in response to a request from the ISO to do so for system reliability reasons or in response to a price signal. Department of Energy (US) DOE A department of the United States federal government responsible for energy policy and research. Department of Public Utilities DPU A state-level department (e.g., in Massachusetts), that aims to ensure customers reliable, safe, and cost-effective public utilities, such as electricity, natural gas, water, and cable. Also called Department of Public Utilities Control (DPUC). Department of Public Utilities Control DPUC A state-level department that aims to ensure customers reliable, safe, and cost-effective public utilities, such as electricity, natural gas, water, and cable. Also called Department of Public Utilities (DPU). DER
Distributed Energy Resource derated
A reduction in claimed capability, which usually is temporary and a result of physical problems. deterministic analysis
A type of analysis based on a snapshot of assumed specific conditions for a specific scenario, which does not quantify the likelihood that these conditions will actually materialize. DFO
Distillate Fuel Oil DG
distributed generation DI
dispatch instructions direct current DC (see HVDC) Electric current that flows in one direction rather than in alternating directions. discounted cash flow DCF A method of assessing investments, taking into account the expected accumulation of interest. dispatch
When a control room operator issues electronic or verbal instructions to generators, transmission facilities, and other market participants to start up, shut down, raise or lower generation, change interchange schedules, or change the status of a dispatchable load in accordance with applicable contracts or demand bid parameters. (Also see economic dispatch.) dispatch instructions DI Directions the ISO gives to resources, which can include instructions to curtail or restore load or to begin or stop producing electric energy. dispatch segment set
A series of records formulated from dispatch instructions containing data points required to complete a demand capacity resource&#;s performance evaluation. dispatch zone DZ One of 19 regions of electric energy supply and demand in New England. dispatchable asset-related demand DARD Demand that can be modified on the basis of the physical load&#;s ability to respond to remote dispatch instructions from the ISO. Distributed Energy Resource DER Any asset located on the distribution system, any associated subsystem or behind a customer meter, which may include, but is not limited to, electric storage resources, distributed generation, demand response, energy efficiency, thermal storage, and electric vehicles and their supply equipment. distributed generation DG Generation provided by relatively small, on-site installations directly connected to distribution facilities or retail customer facilities and not the regional power system, which reduces the amount of energy the regional power system consumes and can alleviate or prevent regional power system transmission or distribution constraints or reduce or eliminate the need to install new transmission or distribution facilities. A small (24 kilowatt) solar photovoltaic system installed by a retail customer is an example of distributed generation. See distributed resource. Distributed Network Protocol DNP A set of communications standards and protocols used between process automation system components, primarily at utilities to enhance the interoperability between substation and master station computer equipment. distributed resource
Typically, a smaller-sized resource that uses load-reduction technologies or on-site generators, often located at or near load centers and generally installed and owned by a commercial or industrial facility. Distributed resources are used to help maintain the reliability of the electric supply during grid emergencies (see demand response) distribution provider DP An entity that operates the electric power lines connecting high-voltage transmission lines to end-use load; providers are not defined by a specific voltage because they can serve customers at transmission voltages and distribution voltages. distribution reliability cost
The cost of dispatching a generating unit to protect against potential damage to the low-voltage (distribution) system. disturbance
An unplanned event on the electric power system that produces an abnormal system condition; any perturbation to the system. Also, the unexpected change in the area control error caused by the sudden failure of generation or an interruption of load. DLR
dynamic line rating DNP
Distributed Network Protocol double-circuit tower DCT A type of transmission tower that supports high-voltage power lines, with three phases for each circuit for a total of six conductors. Compared with other types of lines, these towers use less land area to reliably and economically transfer more power. DP
distribution provider DPU
Department of Public Utilities DPUC
Department of Public Utilities Control DR A&TT
demand capacity resource audit and testing tool DRR Pilot
Demand-Response Reserve Pilot Program dry sorbent injection DSI A pollution control technology that removes hydrogen chloride and other acid gases from coal- and oil-fired power plant emissions. DSA
dynamic stability assessment DSI
dry sorbent injection Dth
dekatherm dual-fuel capability
When a generator has the flexibility and storage capacity to use two types of fuel, typically oil and natural gas. dynamic line rating DLR The maximum amount of current a transmission line can carry in real time, which can be influenced by wind speed, temperature, and solar radiation. DLR technologies enable transmission owners to take advantage of additional line capacity when available. dynamic stability assessment DSA An assessment to determine the transient stability transfer limits of an electric power system. DZ
dispatch zone EAS
energy administration service Eastern Daylight Time EDT In the Eastern Time Zone in North America and the Caribbean, the time used during the daylight-saving period in spring and summer. EDT is four hours behind Coordinated Universal Time. Eastern Interconnection
One of two major AC power grids in North America spanning from central Canada eastward to the Atlantic coast (excluding Québec), south to Florida, and west to the foot of the Rocky Mountains (excluding most of Texas&#;the portion in the Electric Reliability Corporation of Texas) that, during normal system conditions, interconnects transmission and distribution infrastructure and operates at a synchronized frequency of 60 Hz average. The Eastern Interconnection is tied to the Western Interconnection, the Texas Interconnection, and the Québec Interconnection generally through numerous high-voltage DC transmission lines. eastern New England ENE The eastern part of New England, referring to the area nearest to the Atlantic Coast. Eastern Standard Time EST In the Eastern Time Zone, the time used during the standard period in fall and winter. EST is five hours behind Coordinated Universal Time. Eastern Wind Integration and Transmission Study (US DOE, National Renewable Energy Laboratory NREL) EWITS Report by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory of the US Department of Energy (February ) that modeled and analyzed wind penetrations on a large scale for developing solutions to wind-integration challenges. EBB
electronic bulletin board ecomax
economic maximum ecomin
economic minimum economic dispatch ED The selection of resources available to satisfy system load as inexpensively as possible, which is run every five minutes to reoptimize the resources to meet load at minimum cost. (Also see dispatch.) economic maximum ecomax The highest unrestricted level of electric energy (in megawatts) a generating resource is able to produce, representing the highest megawatt output available from the resource for economic dispatch. ECP
energy clearing price ED
economic dispatch EDC
electronic dispatch capability EDT
Eastern Daylight Time EE
energy efficiency EES
Enhanced Energy Scheduler EGEAS
Electric Generation Expansion Analysis System eight largest competitors C8 A measure of wholesale energy market concentration indicating the percentage of the markets controlled by the eight largest competitors; a C8 value of 100% means that the top eight firms supply all the market demand. Also see four largest competitors. EIS
Environmental Impact Statement elective transmission upgrade ETU An upgrade to the New England transmission system voluntarily funded by one or more participants that have agreed to pay for all the costs of the upgrade. electric energy, electrical energy
The ability of an electric current to produce work (heat, light, another form of energy); the generation or use of electric power over a specified time, usually expressed in gigawatt-hours (GWh), megawatt-hours (MWh), or kilowatt-hours (kWh). Note: Carefully use the adjective "electric," which implies that something is going to run using electricity instead of manually. Also make sure to clarify the type of energy being discussed:
- Don&#;t: Renewable sources of energy are used as fuel for generating energy.
- Do: Renewable sources of energy are used as fuel for generating electric energy (or electricity).
- Don&#;t: The region must diversify the types of energy it uses to generate energy.
- Do: The region must diversify the types of fuels it uses to generate electric energy (or electricity).
The rate at which electric energy is transferred or used to do work, measured in kilowatts (or watts or megawatts) of capacity; the use of electric energy over a specified interval, measured in megawatt-hours. Electric Reliability Council of Texas ERCOT The entity that manages the flow of electric power on the Texas Interconnection that supplies power to an estimated 24 million Texas customers representing approximately 90% of the state&#;s electric power load. Electric Reliability Organization ERO An organization certified by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to establish and enforce reliability standards for the bulk power system in the United States; sometimes certified by applicable governmental authorities in Canada and Mexico to do the same. electrical node enode Any point on an electrical circuit where two or more circuit elements meet. electricity
A form of energy characterized by the flow of electrons and other charged particles through a material. electromagnetic field EMF A physical field produced by the movement of electrically charged particles such that charged objects and magnets within its vicinity experience a force. Electromagnetic Transients Program EMTP A software program that models electric switching and lighting transients and faults to help analyze system design and operation problems. electronic bulletin board EBB An online communication system where users can share information. At ISO New England, this is particularly useful for scheduling natural gas deliveries to gas-fired generators through limited pipelines. electronic dispatch capability EDC The ability of generators, through adequate hardware, software, and communications infrastructure, to receive, respond to, and change output in response to the electronic dispatch instructions issued by the system operator. emergency
Abnormal condition of an electric power system requiring manual or automatic action to maintain system frequency or to prevent the involuntary loss of load, equipment damage, or tripping of system elements that could adversely affect the reliability of the system or the safety of people or property. Could also be a fuel shortage requiring departure from normal operating procedures to minimize the use of such scarce fuel or any condition that requires the implementation of emergency procedures by the ISO. Emergency Max
emergency maximum limit emergency maximum limit Emergency Max The maximum generation amount (MW) a generating resource can deliver for a limited time without exceeding the specified limits of equipment stability and operating permits. Emergency Min
emergency minimum limit emergency minimum limit Emergency Min The minimum generation amount (MW) a generating resource can deliver for a limited time without exceeding the specified limits of equipment stability and operating permits. emergency operations and preparedness EOP Steps the ISO takes in times of extreme, abnormal system conditions to prevent loss of load, equipment damage, or tripping of system elements that could adversely affect system reliability and safety. emergency outage
A type of unplanned outage when a piece of transmission equipment fails and comes out of service on its own or requires immediate operator intervention to remove it from service. EMF
electromagnetic field emissions allowance
Under an emissions trading program, the authorization for a source of a pollutant to emit one ton of the pollutant during a specific compliance period, at the end of which, the source must hold an amount of allowances at least equal to its annual emissions. eMkt
eMarket EMM
external market monitor EMOF
Energy Market Offer Flexibility EMS
Energy Management System EMS market user interface EMU The computer interface used by ISO New England system operators to manage the real-time market; mostly referred to as market operator interface (MOI). EMTP
Electromagnetic Transients Program EMU
EMS market user interface ENE
eastern New England energy
The power used over a certain period, measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh), watt-hours (Wh), or megawatt-hours (MWh); the resources used for producing this power (e.g., natural gas, oil, coal, nuclear, sun, wind, hydro). Note: "Energy" can be a vague term when discussing electric energy as well as other types of energy or fuels, such as fossil fuels or renewables energy administration service EAS The service provided by ISO New England, to administer the wholesale energy markets, including the core operation of the energy markets, generation dispatch, and energy accounting. energy clearing price ECP The price for electric energy associated with providing sufficient electricity and reserves in the ISO New England wholesale energy markets while meeting transmission security requirements and maximizing social welfare; the price for electric energy where the supply and demand curves meet. energy efficiency EE A type of demand capacity resource that reduces the total amount of electrical energy and capacity at an end-use customer&#;s facility that otherwise would have been needed to deliver an equivalent or improved level of end-use service. Such measures or systems include the use of more efficient lighting, motors, refrigeration, HVAC equipment, control systems, and industrial process equipment. See passive demand capacity resource. Energy Independence and Security Act of (US) EISA An act passed by the United States government in that aims to move the US toward greater energy independence and security; develop and increase the production of clean renewable fuels; increase the efficiency of products, building, and vehicles; promote research on and deploy greenhouse gas capture and storage options; improve the energy performance of the federal government; increase US energy security; and improve vehicle fuel economy. Energy Information Administration (US DOE) EIA US Department of Energy, Energy Information Administration Energy Management System EMS A system of computer equipment and physical infrastructure that allows ISO New England system operators to monitor, control, and optimize the performance of the electric power grid in real time. energy market
See electric energy market and electricity market. Note: "Energy market" can be a vague term in a document that discusses electric energy as well as other types of energy or fuels, such as fossil fuels or renewables. Energy Market Offer Flexibility EMOF An ISO New England wholesale energy market mechanism as of December for increasing the accuracy of price signals and improving the reliability of the electric power system. EMOF allows market participants to make hourly, rather than daily, offers of how much energy they are willing to supply and at what price and to make negative offers (i.e., paying to stay on line and produce power). energy service company ESCO A firm that develops, designs, builds, and funds a comprehensive range of energy conservation measures that, in addition to saving energy, reduce energy costs and operations and maintenance costs at its customers&#; facilities. ESCOs take on the technical and performance risks associated with a project and use a performance-based contracting methodology that directly links its compensation to actual energy cost savings. energy TU
energy transaction unit energy-efficiency forecast EEF A predictive tool to calculate anticipated load reductions in response to state energy-efficiency programs. Energy-Efficiency Reconciliation Factor EERF A program funding mechanism of the &#; Massachusetts Joint Statewide Three-Year Electric and Gas Energy-Efficiency Plan that ensures that the costs for all available cost-effective energy-efficiency measures will be funded if that program&#;s costs exceed other available revenue sources. energy-neutral signal
A type of dispatch signal that enables electric power resources using storage-based technologies to provide frequency- regulation services. The signal directs resources to cycle between electricity production and consumption over a short period, which essentially cancels out to no net-energy use and prevents these resources from losing the ability to follow a conventional regulation dispatch signal if their limited storage capacity becomes either fully charged or fully depleted over time. Enhanced Energy Scheduler EES The software used to facilitate a transmission customer&#;s submittal of external transactions into the ISO New England wholesale market system. enode
electrical node Environmental Impact Statement EIS A detailed report about the potential positive and negative environmental effects of proposed major federal actions, as required by the National Environmental Policy Act of (NEPA). EOP
emergency operations and preparedness EP
enrolling participant ERCOT
Electric Reliability Council of Texas ERO
Electric Reliability Organization ERS
external reserve support ESCO
energy service company EST
Eastern Standard Time ET
external transaction ETU
elective transmission upgrade excap qual
existing capacity qualification export-constrained load zone
An area where the available resources, after serving local load, exceed the area&#;s transmission capability to export the excess electric energy. external market monitor EMM The independent firm that reports directly to the ISO board to provide assessments of the wholesale energy markets and reports, as well as monitoring and reviews regarding the quality and appropriateness of the mitigation conducted by the internal market monitor. external node
Location on the transmission system outside the New England Balancing Authority Area; point of interconnection to a neighboring balancing authority area or system; a proxy location on the transmission system used for establishing prices for electric energy being sold to or brought from outside New England. external reserve support ERS For calculating local forward reserve requirements, the unused capacity of the transmission interface associated with a reserve zone. extra-high voltage EHV Transmission line voltages above 345 kV. FA
financial assurance fabric filter FF Also called a baghouse or bag filter, a widely used air-pollution control technology for removing particulate matter from a flue gas stream of an industrial process ventilation system or fuel-combustion unit by passing the dirty air through a layer of porous cloth. facility-metered load FML The aggregate load reading measured at a facility&#;s utility billing meter. Failure-to-Activate flag
An electronic flag placed in a forward-reserve resource&#;s Reserve Asset Detail Report when the resource fails to respond according to its offer data and the ISO&#;s instructions when asked to activate its claimed 10-minute nonspinning reserve or 30-minute operating reserve. A Failure-to-Activate flag results in a financial penalty. Failure-to-Reserve flag
An electronic flag placed in a market participant&#;s Reserve Asset Detail Report when the participant&#;s delivered forward-reserve megawatts associated with a reserve zone are less than the participant&#;s associated forward-reserve obligation. A Failure-to-Reserve flag results in a forfeiture of payment for any forward-reserve megawatts not delivered plus a financial penalty. FAM
Financial Assurance Management FAP
Financial Assurance Policy fast-start resource
A resource that can be electrically synchronized to the electric power system and reach its maximum production or output within 10 to 30 minutes to respond to a contingency and serve demand. Also, a demand capacity resource that helps with recovery from a contingency and assists in serving peak demand. Same as quick-start resources; "fast start" is the preferred term. FCA
Forward Capacity Auction FCM
Forward Capacity Market FCTS
Forward Capacity Tracking System Federal Energy Regulatory Commission FERC An independent federal agency that regulates the interstate transmission of natural gas, oil, and electricity to ultimately assist consumers in obtaining reliable, efficient, and sustainable energy services at a reasonable cost through appropriate regulatory and market means. Federal Power Act (US) FPA A law first enacted in and subsequently amended a number of times to, in part, (1) establish a five-member commission (now the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) with authority over both the interstate transmission of electricity and the sale of hydropower at the wholesale level to ensure that rates are reasonable, nondiscriminatory, and just to the consumer; (2) coordinate hydroelectric projects in the United States and encourage the development of dams, reservoirs, and other types of hydro projects; and (3) broaden the commission&#;s authority to incorporate fish and wildlife concerns regarding licensing, relicensing, and exemption procedures; regulate nonfederal hydropower projects; and support the comprehensive development of rivers for energy generation and other uses. Federal Register FR Daily journal of the United States government, featuring notices of public meetings, hearings, proposed and final rules, investigations, funding, and actions of the president. Federal Reporter, third series F.3d A case law reporter in the United States covering opinions and decisions beginning in issued by the 13 circuits of the US Court of Appeals. feed-in tariff FIT A part of a long-term electricity purchasing agreement that guarantees a specified price, usually above the market level, for the electric power produced under the agreement. FERC
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission FF
fabric filter Financial Assurance Management FAM A risk management system for the wholesale energy markets to minimize the risk of market players&#; defaults. Financial Assurance Policy FAP Exhibit IA of the ISO New England Transmission, Markets, and Services Tariff that sets forth the financial assurance procedures, requirements, and criteria governing the participation of all applicants, market participants, and nonmarket participant transmission customers in the New England wholesale electricity markets, including credit review procedures to assess the financial ability of applicants and participants to pay for service transactions under the tariff and their share of ISO expenses; requirements for alternative forms of acceptable security that protect the ISO and participants against the risk of nonpayment by defaulting participants; conditions under which the ISO will conduct business in a nondiscriminatory way; and procedures for collecting amounts past due and payable upon billing adjustment, making up payment shortfalls, suspending participants out of compliance with the policy, and terminating membership of and service to defaulting participants. Financial Transmission Right FTR A financial instrument&#;equal to the amount of electric energy flowing in one direction between two specific locations on the regional power system&#;that a market participant can buy to help hedge against the economic impacts associated with transmission congestion and to arbitrage differences between expected and actual day-ahead congestion caused by constraints on the transmission system. The FTR holder might incur an obligation to pay a charge or the right to receive revenues. firm supply
Fuels for a facility under a delivery contract that includes priority transportation service and that cannot be interrupted or restricted. first contingency N-1 The loss of the power system element (facility) with the largest impact on system reliability. first-contingency reliability cost
The cost of dispatching a generating unit to protect against a disruption in service when a very large generator or transmission line suddenly is lost. fixed demand
When a market participant buys electricity at any price. flag
To designate or mark in an electronic report or file, as in to flag market results that may reflect anomalies or to flag a generating unit for commitment to meet the requirements for voltage support or local second-contingency protection. flexible alternating-current transmission system FACTS A system that incorporates power electronic controllers and other static equipment to better be able to control transmission system parameters and increase power-transfer capability. floor price
An administratively set price, such as in an auction, which currently is used in the ISO&#;s Forward Capacity Auction. flue-gas desulfurization FGD A post-combustion control system for sulfur dioxide (SO2) and other acid flue gases produced by a coal- or oil-fired electricity generating unit, which injects a type of lime, using wet or dry means, into a "scrubber" where it reacts with the SO2 and other gases. The reaction products are then removed either in the scrubber or in conjunction with a downstream particulate-control device. Also called wet or dry scrubbing. FOA
Funding Opportunity Announcement foot ft forced outage
A type of unplanned outage that involves the unexpected removal from service of a generating unit, transmission facility, or other facility or portion of a facility because of an emergency failure or the discovery of a problem. These problems must be repaired as soon as crews, equipment, corrective dispatch actions, or a combination of all measures can be activated to allow the work to be performed. Forward Capacity Auction FCA The annual auction of the Forward Capacity Market during which capacity resources compete to obtain a commitment to supply capacity in exchange for a market-priced capacity payment. In the "descending-clock" format of the annual FCAs, the price for capacity starts high enough to attract more than enough resources to meet the capacity requirements and then is decreased until the quantity of capacity remaining in the auction equals the quantity of capacity needed. This auction allows new capacity to set the market-clearing price while accounting for locational capacity requirements and providing a market-based measure of the cost of new entry. Forward Capacity Market FCM In the New England Balancing Authority Area, a locational capacity market whereby the ISO projects the needs of the power system three years in advance and then holds an annual auction to purchase power resources to satisfy the region&#;s future needs. The aim of the FCM is to send appropriate price signals to attract new investment and maintain existing resources where and when they are needed, including during shortage events, thus ensuring the reliability of the New England electricity grid. Forward Capacity Tracking System FCTS The ISO&#;s online system for managing information about the resources participating in the Forward Capacity Market. forward-reserve obligation charge FROC A component of the Forward Reserve Market settlement rules that calls for collecting back the real-time reserve payments associated with meeting an FRM obligation, for eliminating double compensation for providing both real-time operating-reserve megawatts and forward-reserve megawatts for the same reserve service. four largest competitors C4 A measure of market concentration used by the ISO&#;s market monitor equal to the percentage of the market controlled by the four largest competitors, or the simple sum of the market shares of the top-four firms. A C4 value of 100% means that the top-four firms supply all the market demand. Also see eight largest competitors. FR
Federal Register Freedom of Information Act (US) FOIA A United States law passed in that provides the public the right to request access to previously unreleased records from any federal agency, with exemptions to protect personal privacy, national security, and law enforcement. frequency
The rate of oscillation (cycles/second) of the alternating current in an electric power system, measured in hertz (Hz). In the United States, the rate is 60 Hz. frequency ride through
The capability of a generator to remain connected to the electric power system during frequency excursions defined (in IEEE Standard ) as tolerable and caused by events external to the generating plant. (The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers; IEEE) Standard provides uniform criteria for interconnecting distributed resources with electric power systems.) FRM
Forward Reserve Market FTR
Financial Transmission Right fuel-price adjustment FPA An ISO New England market rule that permits the internal market monitor to use a different fuel price for a resource than its actual fuel price in calculating the resource&#;s reference level if a market participant believes the actual fuel costs will exceed the IMM&#;s index-based fuel price by a large enough margin to put the resource at risk of inappropriate mitigation. Funding Opportunity Announcement FOA A notice of a funding opportunity for a federal grant posted at Grants.gov. GA
grandfathered agreement GADS
Generating Availability Data System gas turbine GT A type of internal combustion engine driven by expanding hot gases produced by burning fuel, such as natural gas, to generate electric current. gas-insulated substation GIS An electric power substation that uses a dielectric gas, SF6, at moderate pressure for phase-to-phase and phase-to-ground insulation. The conductors, circuit breakers, transformers, and other electrical equipment are in the gas contained within grounded metal enclosures. gas-insulated switchgear GIS An electrical switching station unit that houses electrical components and circuits within a single gas tank with a compact footprint. GATT
General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade GCEP
Global Climate Change Energy Project GDP
gross domestic product GE MARS
General Electric Multi-Area Reliability Simulation Model General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade GATT A treaty implemented after World War II and subsequently refined to increase international trade by eliminating or reducing various tariffs, quotas, and subsidies while maintaining meaningful regulations. General Electric Multi-Area Reliability Simulation Model GE MARS A model of the electric power system based on chronological hourly Monte Carlo probability simulations that help electric utility planners quickly and accurately assess the ability of a power system to sufficiently satisfy customer load requirements. Generating Availability Data System GADS A North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) application, and a mandatory industry-reporting program for conventional generating units 20 MW and larger, containing data about the operating history and performance of more than 7,700 electric generating units (or more than 90% of the installed generating capacity) in the United States and Canada. The system provides reliability data to the industry, supporting research and analyses on power plant outages and equipment availability. generation
The production of electric energy from other sources of energy (i.e., fuel), expressed in megawatts; supply. generation clearing
The megawatts of generation accepted or sold in the Day-Ahead Energy Market. Generation Information System GIS The New England Power Pool (NEPOOL) system for registering and tracking renewable energy generation and compliance with state and regional renewable energy requirements. For each megawatt-hour of electricity an individual unit generates, the system assigns a certificate that records the attributes of that power. Load-serving entities use these certificates to differentiate their products for consumers, provide the information required on energy disclosure labels, and comply with state and regional Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPSs) and emissions performance standards. generator owner GO Entity that owns and maintains generating units. generator-interconnection-related upgrade
A transmission addition or upgrade to support the connection of a new or uprated generating facility in ISO New England. Geographic Information System GIS A computer-based tool that captures, analyzes, manages, stores, and displays spatial and geographical data. geomagnetic disturbance GMD A disturbance of Earth&#;s magnetic field, such as from an electromagnetic pulse or solar winds, which can induce a current that enters and exits the power system at transformer grounds and, in some cases, cause abnormal voltages, erroneous tripping of needed equipment, and other disruptions in normal system operations. See geomagnetic storm. geomagnetic storm GMS A temporary but major disturbance of Earth&#;s magnetosphere caused by an efficient exchange of energy from solar winds into the space surrounding Earth that can lead to extra drag on satellites in low-earth orbit, modify the path of radio signals, create errors in information provided by global positioning systems, disrupt navigation systems, and create harmful geomagnetic-induced currents in power grids and pipelines. See geomagnetic disturbance. GHG
greenhouse gas gigawatt GW 1 billion (10<sup>9</sup>) watts; 1,000 megawatts. gigawatt-hour GWh The amount of electrical energy expended by a 1 billion-watt load over one hour. GIS
Generation Information System GIS
Geographic Information System Global Climate Change Energy Project GCEP A Stanford University research project seeking new technological solutions for supplying energy to meet the changing needs of a growing world population in a way that significantly lowers greenhouse gas emissions and protects the environment. Global Positioning System GPS A navigation system that provides location and time information in all weather conditions anywhere on Earth where the line of sight to at least four GPS satellites is unobstructed. Global Warming Solutions Act (MA) GWSA A Massachusetts act signed in creating a framework for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from all sectors of the economy 25% by and 80% by to help avoid some of the heat-trapping effects of global warming, GM
gross margin GMD
geomagnetic disturbance GMS
geomagnetic storm GO
generator owner going-forward costs GFCs For estimating a resource&#;s delist costs, the fixed costs a resource can avoid if it did not have a capacity supply obligation; the costs do not vary with a resource&#;s operation. GOP
generator operator Governor&#;s Office of Energy Independence and Security (ME) GOEIS A former state-level office in Maine to work on state energy policy, advise the governor, and conduct other special assignments for developing public and private partnerships that achieve the state&#;s goals of energy independence and security with clean, reliable, affordable, sustainable, indigenous, and renewable resources. GPA
generator performance audit GPS
Global Positioning System grandfathered agreement GA A transaction specified in the ISO&#;s Open Access Transmission Tariff, Section II.45, regarding the Maine Electric Power Company&#;s Grandfathered Transmission Service Agreements over the New Brunswick/New England interconnection entered into before June 1, , for the applicable period specified in this section. Greater CT
Greater Connecticut study area Greater Hartford Central Connecticut (part of the New England East-West Solution) GHCC An ISO New England study area that combines the Greater Hartford area (Hartford and northwestern Connecticut) and the central Connecticut area (Barbour Hill and Middletown) to be able to capture any interdependencies when conducting transmission planning studies. Greater Rhode Island GRI An ISO New England transmission planning study area that encompasses Rhode Island and parts of southeastern Massachusetts. Greater Springfield Reliability Project GSRP A comprehensive, coordinated set of improvements to the electric transmission systems of Western Massachusetts Electric Company (now Eversource) in Massachusetts and Connecticut Light and Power in Connecticut to meet the transmission reliability needs in the Greater Springfield, Massachusetts area. Greater SWCT
Greater Southwest Connecticut study area Green Communities Act (MA) GCA A Massachusetts act passed in to provide for renewable and alternative energy and energy efficiency in the state and reduce the growth in the state&#;s electricity demand by investing in energy-saving devices; expanding the ability of municipalities, residential customers, and businesses to own and benefit from technologies to produce electricity on their own premises; facilitating the commercialization of and growth in large-scale energy sources that produce little or no greenhouse gas emissions; expanding activity and employment within the state in the advanced energy technology sector; and reducing the state&#;s dependence on and payment for fossil-fuel energy resources outside the state. greenhouse gas GHG Any gas that absorbs infrared radiation in the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide, methane, nitrogen oxides, ozone, chlorofluorocarbons, hydrochlorofluorocarbons, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, and sulfur hexafluoride. GRI
Greater Rhode Island grid
The network of the transmission lines, substations, and associated equipment of an electric power system. GridVIew
An energy production cost program that provides detailed representations of the transmission network. gross domestic product GDP The total monetary value of finished goods produced and services provided in a country during a specified period. gross margin GM Energy revenues minus fuel costs for a typical natural-gas-fired power plant that converts fuel to electricity, expressed as a percentage; calculated as (the average locational marginal price at the Hub minus the fuel cost) divided by the Hub locational marginal price}. Also, the percentage of total sales revenue a company retains after incurring the direct costs associated with producing the goods and services it sells. GRT
generation requirements for transmission constraints GSRP
Greater Springfield Reliability Project GT
gas turbine GW
gigawatt HAP
hazardous air pollutant hazardous air pollutant HAP A US Clean Air Act category of air pollutants known or suspected of causing cancer and other serious health effects, such as reproductive effects or birth defects, or adverse environmental effects. HAPs emitted by fossil-fired generators include acid gases, such as hydrogen chloride (HCl) and hydrogen fluoride (HF); organic pollutants, such as dioxins and furans; mercury; and other metallic HAPs, such as arsenic, chromium, nickel, and selenium. HAPs also are known as toxic air pollutants or air toxics. HE
hour ending heat rate
A measure of a thermal power plant&#;s efficiency of converting fuel (British thermal units; Btus) to electric energy (kilowatt-hours; kWh); the amount of heat, measured in Btus, required to produce a kilowatt-hour of electrical output. The lower the heat rate, the more efficient the facility. heating, ventilation, and air conditioning HVAC The three technologies often combined into one system for providing environmental comfort indoors and in vehicles. heating-degree day
An indication of a building&#;s demand for energy (i.e., fuel consumption) based on each degree the daily mean temperature is below 65 degrees F. heat-recovery steam generator HRSG A heat exchanger that produces steam and recovers heat from the hot steam gas; the steam can be used for process applications, as in cogeneration (combined heat and power), or to drive a combined-cycle steam turbine. hertz Hz A measure of how frequently an alternating current changes directions; a measure of one cycle per second. Hg
mercury high-electric-demand day HEDD In New England, typically days characterized with high temperatures leading to elevated cooling (energy) demand, use of electric generating units, nitrogen oxide emissions, and ozone concentrations. high-voltage direct current HVDC Typically, when the direct-current voltage is above 100 kV. high-voltage transmission line
A line that transmits electric power from a generator to a local distribution line. In New England, these lines include 115 kV and higher voltage lines (see low-voltage lines). Hirschman-Herfindahl Index HHI (H- Index) A measure of market concentration that provides details regarding market structure, calculated by summing the squares of the individual firms&#; market shares, thus giving proportionately greater weight to the larger market shares. The US Department of Justice generally classifies markets with an HHI below 1,500 as unconcentrated, between 1,500 and 2,500 as moderately concentrated, and above 2,500 as highly concentrated. hour ending HE A term that denotes the preceding hourly period. For example, 12:01 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. is hour ending 1. Hour ending 6:00 p.m. is the period from 5:01 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Housatonic River Crossing HRX Name for a transmission project crossing over the Housatonic River between Milford and Stratford, Connecticut. HRX
Housatonic River Crossing human-machine interface HMI The user control panel for operating and monitoring a piece of equipment, often with a keypad and some sort of graphics display. Hz
hertz IA
Interconnection Agreement IBL
internal bilateral for load IBM
internal bilateral for market IBT
internal bilateral transaction ICAP
installed capacity ICAP Market
Installed Capacity Market ICR
Installed Capacity Requirement ICU
internal combustion unit IEEE
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers IMM
internal market monitor IMP
Integrity Management Protocols import-constrained load zone
An area that does not have enough local generating resources and transmission-import capability to serve local demand reliably or economically. in merit order
The designation for an accepted and dispatched supply offer because it was less expensive than other accepted and dispatched supply offers. Also see economic-merit order. incremental offer
A financial offer to sell electric energy at a specified location in the Day-Ahead Energy Market; virtual supply. Do not use the abbreviation inc. independent pole tripping IPT The application of multipole circuit breakers in such a manner that a malfunction of one of more poles or associated control circuits will not prevent the successful tripping of the remaining poles(s). independent power producer IPP A nonpublic utility that generates electric power for sale to other utilities and end users. independent transmission company ITC Stand-alone for-profit transmission company that invests in individual merchant as well as regulated transmission projects. induction-generation effect EGE An electrical phenomenon in which the resonance of a series-compensated transmission system (i.e., one with reactive power elements inserted in series with the transmission lines for improving voltage stability) results in electrical self-excitation of a generation resource at a subsynchronous frequency, which could lead to growing subsynchronous voltages and currents in the system and at the generator. inframarginal offer
A supply offer that is less expensive than the price-setting supply offer (see in merit order). inframarginal revenues
The revenues earned by generators, other than the last one dispatched to meet demand, through the electric energy market. The revenues are in excess of the generators&#; short-run variable costs for fuel and other operating expenses, which assists in recovering fixed costs, the largest portion being capital costs. injection
A location on the transmission system where generation is injected (a.k.a. source point). Installed Capacity Requirement ICR The minimum amount of resources (level of capacity) a balancing authority area needs in a particular year to meet its resource adequacy planning criterion, according to the Northeast Power Coordinating Council Reliability Reference Directory #1, Design and Operation of the Bulk Power System. This criterion states that the probability of disconnecting any firm load because of resource deficiencies must be, on average, less than once in 10 years. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers IEEE From the IEEE website: The IEEE acronym originally stood for the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. The organization&#;s scope of interest has expanded into many additional related fields and is now referred to by its letters I-E-E-E (pronounced eye-triple-e). integrated coal-gasification combined cycle IGCC A type of power plant that uses a high-pressure gasifier to convert coal and other carbon-based fuels into pressurized synthetic gas from which impurities, such as sulfur dioxide, particulates, mercury, and, in some cases, carbon dioxide, are removed before the power-generation cycle. The gasifier also produces steam, which powers a steam turbine. integrated resource plan IRP A utility plan for a specified period for reliably meeting forecasted annual and peak energy demand plus a reserve margin through supply-side and demand-side resources, with consideration of fuel prices, environmental costs and constraints, existing resources, risk analyses, stakeholder input, public utility commission oversight, and other factors. Integrity Management Protocols IMP US Department of Transportation, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, Office of Pipeline Safety guidance, techniques, procedures, and other practices for use during pipeline safety investigations for compliance, inspection, and enforcement activities. Interchange Authority
An entity responsible for authorizing the implementation of valid and balanced interchange schedules between balancing authority areas and ensuring the communication of interchange information needed for reliability assessments. interchange schedule
The agreed-upon specifications for the transfer of electric energy between two balancing authority areas including, for example, the size of the transaction in megawatts, the start and end times, the beginning and ending ramp times, and the rate. interconnection request IR An official request from owners of large generators over 20 MW, small generators no larger than 20 MW; elective transmission upgrades; or merchant, pool, or other transmission facilities for connecting new or uprated facilities to, or providing service over, the New England bulk electric power system. intermediate-load generating unit
A generator that ramps up and down to follow the power system load as it transitions between baseload levels (during the middle of the night) and peak load levels (during the day), operating from 10 to 70% of the year. intermittent power resource IPR A resource whose output amount and availability are intermittent and not subject to the control of ISO New England or the power plant operator because of the variable source of fuel (e.g., wind, solar, run-of-river hydro) that the resource uses or the contractual obligations (e.g. qualifying facilities). IPRs can be resources having less than 5 MW operating within the distribution system. Also called variable energy resource. internal bilateral for load IBL In the Real-Time Energy Market, when the buyer of electric energy receives a reduction in load obligation and the seller receives a corresponding increase in load obligation in the amount of the megawatt sale. internal combustion unit ICU An engine in which an oxidizer, typically air, ignites a fuel, such as natural gas, gasoline, diesel fuel, or fuel oil, within a combustion chamber, which creates high temperatures and pressure gasses that apply force on a piston, turbine blade, rotor, or motor, essentially converting chemical energy into mechanical energy; otherwise called an internal combustion engine. internal market monitor IMM An ISO department composed of economists, engineers, statisticians, and analysts that functions independently of ISO management and reports directly to the ISO Board of Directors&#; Markets Committee and that regularly assesses and reports on the wholesale electricity markets and market products; conducts daily monitoring for any anticompetitive behavior intended to (or that foreseeably could) manipulate market prices, market conditions, or market rules; and mitigates the effects of any identified anticompetitive behavior. Interregional Electric Market Model IREMM A "pipe and bubble" energy production cost program that models the New England region&#;s subareas (bubbles) and the transmission lines that connect them (pipes) for developing hourly, chronological, system-production costs and other metrics. interregional interchange scheduling IRIS A process of scheduling and controlling power flow between neighboring regions. For ISO New England and the New York ISO, a system for scheduling external energy trading transaction to facilitate power flows from the region with lower costs to the region with higher costs; see coordinated transaction scheduling. Interregional Planning Stakeholder Advisory Committee IPSAC An open stakeholder group that provides input for the development of the Northeast Coordinated System Plan (NCSP), which outlines activities conducted jointly by ISO New England, the New York ISO, and PJM. This collaboration among the three ISOs/RTOs in the area ensures that the electric system is planned on a wider interregional basis and is proactive and well-coordinated. interruptible load
Load that can be interrupted by the power system operator in an emergency in accordance with contractual arrangements. Interstate Reliability Project IRP A 345 kV transmission upgrade project in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island that was part of the New England East-West Solutions (NEEWS) series of projects to address east&#;west and west&#;east transmission limitations for meeting regional reliability; in service December . intertie
The circuit that connects two or more balancing authority areas or systems. IPP
independent power producer IPR
intermittent power resource IPSAC
Interregional Planning Stakeholder Advisory Committee IPT
independent pole tripping IR
interconnection request IREMM
Interregional Electric Market Model IRH
interconnection rights holder IRIS
interregional interchange scheduling IRP
integrated resource plan IRP
Interstate Reliability Project island
An electrically isolated portion of an interconnection that maintains its own frequency; typically formed after a major power system disturbance or the restoration that takes place after the disturbance. ISN
Interregional Security Network ISO
Independent System Operator ISO New England Inc. Transmission, Markets, and Services Tariff Tariff, ISO tariff Known as the ISO tariff, the document that details the rates, terms, and conditions for transmission, market, and other services provided by ISO New England; the rights and responsibilities of the ISO and market participants; and various schedules that define the revenues the ISO collects for its operations and those of the New England States Committee on Electricity. ISO Operating Procedure No. 19, Transmission Operations OP 19 ISO procedure that describes how each transmission owner, the ISO, and each local control center (as transmission operators) (1) monitors the New England transmission system and determines ratings, criteria, and limits for its operation under normal and emergency system conditions, and (2) analyzes and operates the system under these two sets of system conditions. ISO Planning Procedure No. 4, Procedure for Pool-Supported PTF Cost Review PP 4 Detailed guidance on what necessary regulated transmission solution additions and modifications, reconstructions, or replacement projects of pool transmission facilities (PTFs) eligible for regional cost support are subject to cost review, what information the applicant for cost review must provide to the ISO, the process for Reliability Committee (RC) and ISO review of an applicant&#;s project, the factors that must be considered in determining whether a project will have localized costs, and the periodic reporting of project costs. Also provides guidelines for preparing Transmission Cost Allocation (TCA) applications for use by the ISO and the RC and on what information and analysis should be available and supplied to support TCA applications. ITC
independent transmission company JCSP
Joint Coordinated System Plan JET
Jet Fuel Joint Coordinated System Plan JCSP A former study that provided a conceptual regional transmission and generation system plan for a large portion of the Eastern Interconnection in the United States, developed with the participation of most of the major transmission operators in the Eastern Interconnection. For example, the JCSP evaluated scenarios of large wind development primarily in the Midwest and transmission alternatives for delivery of the energy mostly to the northeastern United States. kiloton kton A unit of capacity equal to 1,000 tons. kilovolt kV 1,000 volts; used to quantify transmission line voltages and higher-voltage distribution line voltages. kilovolt-ampere kVA A unit of apparent power equal to 1,000 volt-amperes; the product of volts multiplied by amperes in an alternating current (AC) electrical circuit; a measure of the capacity of electrical equipment. kilovolt-ampere reactive; kilovar kVAR A measure of reactive power, not useable power. kilowatt kW A measure of an electrical system&#;s real power, commonly used to quantify the amount of power customers consume (for billing purposes). kilowatt-hour kWh A basic unit of electric energy equal to one kilowatt of power supplied to or taken from an electric circuit for one hour. The unit is used to measure a customer&#;s use of electric energy. kton
kiloton kV
kilovolt kW
kilowatt landfill gas LFG The gas resulting from landfill decomposition that either is collected, cleaned, and used for generation or is vented or flared. LBU
local benefit upgrade LCC
local control center LDC
local gas distribution company LDC
local distribution company lead participant LP The primary representative and bidder for a resource in the wholesale electricity markets. Also referred to as lead market participant (LMP). levelized fixed cost
A construction or purchase cost of an asset annualized over the expected productive life of the asset for the purpose of repayment. LFG
landfill gas LGIP
Large Generator Interconnection Procedure LICAP
locational installed capacity limited liability company LLC A corporate structure for which the members of the company cannot be held liable for the company&#;s debts or liabilities. limited-energy resource LER Per Section 1 of the ISO New England Transmission, Markets, and Services Tariff, a generating resource that, because of design considerations; environmental restriction on operations; cyclical requirements, such as the need to recharge or refill or manage water flow; or fuel limitations, is unable to operate continuously at full output on a daily basis. Also referred to as limited-energy generator (LEG). line-outage distribution factor LODF A sensitivity factor of the linearized impact of transmission line contingencies on the flows in other lines in the system. On an energized line, the LODF calculation determines the percentage of the present line flow that will show up on other transmission lines after the outage of that line. liquefied natural gas LNG Odorless, colorless, toxic, and noncorrosive natural gas (i.e., predominately methane with some ethane) that has been converted to liquid and approximately 1/600th of its volume for ease of storage and transport. liquefied petroleum gas LPG Odorless, flammable mixture of primarily propane and butane hydrocarbon gases used as fuel in heating appliances, cooking equipment, and vehicles. listing
When a market participant notifies the ISO that a qualified installed capacity resource is available for selection (dispatch). LLC
limited liability company LMP
locational marginal price LMP
lead market participant LMP calculator
The software tool used to establish the price for electric energy purchases and sales at specific locations throughout New England (i.e., nodes, zones, and the Hub), accounting for the locational marginal value and cost of energy, including the loss and congestion costs of delivering it. LNG
liquefied natural gas LNS
local network service load
The demand for electricity measured in megawatts; electricity consumption; the amount of electric power delivered to any specified point on a system, accounting for the requirements of the customer&#;s electrical equipment. load balancing
When the total amperage requirements of a system&#;s electrical equipment are distributed equally among the available electrical circuits in the system. load clearing
The demand for electric energy satisfied in an auction and in the Day-Ahead Energy Market. load factor
The ratio of the average hourly load during a year (in kilowatts) to peak hourly load. load forecast
An estimation of the future demand for electricity. load management
The use of installed measures, systems, or strategies by end-use customers to curtail their electrical usage during peak hours or shift electrical use to off-peak hours to reduce the amount of capacity needed to deliver an acceptable level of electric power service to those facilities. A type of active demand capacity resource. load obligation
The sum of metered load, exports, and load-shifting contracts for which a lead participant is financially responsible. load power factor LPF The ratio of a generator&#;s real power (i.e., active power; the portion of the flow of electric energy that performs work or energy transfers, measured in megawatts) to its apparent power (i.e., the product of the voltage and current that comprises real and reactive power, measured in megavolt-amperes. load response
A reduction of load by demand capacity resources based on a price signal or a request from the ISO to do so for reliability reasons. load shedding
Controlled or scheduled power outages (controlled blackouts) to balance the demand for electric energy with limited supply. load shifting
The changing of capacity requirements from one supplier to another when customers choose different suppliers. Also the changing of the time of electricity contribution, often from peak to off-peak hours. Used in the Forward Capacity Market to denote the 90-day resettlement changes in responsibility. load-response program LRP An expired day-ahead and real-time ISO program that provided incentives to market participants to reduce their electric energy consumption in the New England region during periods of high wholesale prices. load-serving entity LSE An entity that secures and sells electric energy, transmission service, and related services to serve the demand of its end-use customers at the distribution level. LOB
load obligation bilateral local benefit upgrade LBU An upgrade, modification or addition to the transmission system that is (1) rated below 115 kV or (2) rated 115 kV or above and does not meet all of the nonvoltage criteria for classification as a pool transmission facility as specified in the ISO&#;s Open-Access Transmission Tariff. local control center LCC In New England, six facilities run by transmission owners responsible for, with certain exceptions, operating transmission facilities rated 69 kV and above. Tasks include reactive dispatch, with ISO New England providing area oversight; implementation of emergency procedures at the direction of ISO operations personnel; actual switching of transmission elements; and power-system monitoring and real time contingency analysis in parallel with the ISO&#;s master control center. local distribution company LDC A regulated utility company, such as for electric power or natural gas, that distributes its commodity or service in its assigned geographical service territory. Electric power LDCs maintain the low-voltage portions of the electric power grid (i.e., transmission line with a voltage of less than 69 kV and associated equipment), transferring electric power from the high-voltage transmission system (69 kV and above) and delivering electricity on demand to residential and small commercial customers. Natural gas LDCs buy gas for resale to end users, delivering the gas from interstate pipelines to end-user facilities. local network service LNS Per Schedule 21 of the ISO&#;s Open-Access Transmission Tariff (OATT), participating transmission owners&#; (PTOs&#;) local-level transmission service for the delivery of electric energy and capacity from network resources to their network customers, and the delivery of energy and capacity to or by network customers from New England markets transactions, through the local service schedules (e.g., rates, terms, and applicable conditions) that permit network customers to efficiently and economically use their resources to serve their loads. Each PTO&#;s OATT Attachment E Service Agreement defines the transmission facilities comprising its local network. local resource adequacy LRA A Forward Capacity Market requirement for a capacity zone in the New England Control Area and for the rest of the New England Control Area to ensure that New England meets its resource adequacy planning criteria, as specified in Market Rule 1, Section III.12.1, such that the loss-of-load expectation (LOLE) of disconnecting noninterruptible customers due to resource deficiencies is not more than 0.1 day each year. The LRA requirement accounts for the megawatts of resources electrically located within the zone or area, including import capacity resources on the import-constrained side of the interface; proxy-unit additions in the zone or area; firm load added or subtracted within the zone or area to make the region&#;s LOLE equal to 0. days/year; and the capacity-weighted average of the forced-outage rate modeled for all resources in the zone or area, including for the proxy unit additions to the zone. local second contingency LSC The loss of the facility that would have the largest impact within one of New England&#;s eight reliability regions after the first facility in the reliability region is lost. Also, a constraint in a reliability region met by maintaining an operating reserve that can increase output when the first contingency occurs. local system planning LSP Transmission planning conducted by participating transmission owners that describes transmission system reliability needs for nonpool transmission facilities (non-PTFs), including local public policy transmission upgrades, and reflecting local system planning studies and proposed solutions; identifying the local planning process and the criteria, data, and assumptions used; enabling formal stakeholder input to planning for non-PTFs not incorporated into regional system planning; and ensuring the opportunity for Planning Advisory Committee participation in the LSP process. locational installed capacity LICAP A proposed but not implemented monthly market-based solution in New England that involved using a demand curve to determine the price for electric energy as capacity levels changed. Long-Term Transmission Right LTTR Per the US Energy Policy Act of , a required mechanism in organized electricity markets that facilitates the planning and expansion of transmission facilities to meet the reasonable needs of load-serving entities (LSEs) for satisfying their service obligations and enabling them to secure firm transmission rights (or equivalent tradable or financial rights) on a long-term basis for long-term power supply agreements made or planned to meet such needs. To correlate the LTTR concept with existing New England terminology based on Financial Transmission Rights (FTRs), the market rules in New England refer to "long-term Financial Transmission Rights" (LFTRs). LOS
loss of source loss of off-site power event LOOP Per the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the simultaneous loss of electric power to all unit safety buses (also referred to as emergency buses, "Class 1E buses," and vital buses), requiring all emergency power generators to start and supply power to the safety buses and potentially requiring the nonessential buses to be de-energized as a result. The ISO&#;s Control Room Operating Procedure (CROP)., Reporting Procedures, considers a LOOP event a Category 2 event that requires analysis reporting. loss of source LOS When a resource providing energy to the electric power system within a region or to surrounding regions goes off line in response to a contingency. A LOS limit from all resources is in place for each region to prevent interface constraints or other impacts on any of the interregional systems. Low-Emissions Renewable Energy Certificate LREC A tradable, nontangible commodity representing the eligible renewable generation attributes of 1 megawatt-hour of actual generation from a grid-connected, low-emitting renewable resource, such as a fuel cell, with each state with LRECs setting the qualifying resource size, emissions level, and other criteria. Also see Renewable Energy Certificate and Renewable Energy Credit. Lower SEMA (LSM)
lower southeastern Massachusetts lower southeastern Massachusetts Lower SEMA (LSM) A regional system planning study area in Massachusetts comprising the New Bedford and Plymouth districts and Cape Cod. lowest-achievable emission rate LAER Pursuant to the US Clean Air Act, the rate of emissions for any source that reflects (1) the most stringent emission limitation contained in any of the states&#; implementation plans for such a source class or category, unless the owner or operator of the proposed source demonstrates that such limitations are not achievable, or (2) the most stringent emission limitation achieved in practice by such a source class or category, whichever is more stringent. low-sulfur fuel oil LSFO No. 2 diesel (distillate) fuel oil that has a sulfur level between 15 ppm and 500 ppm (inclusive), used primarily in motor vehicle diesel engines for on-highway use. LP
lead participant LPF
load power factor LPG
liquefied petroleum gas LRA
local resource adequacy LSC
local second contingency LSP
local system planning LSR
local sourcing requirement LV
low voltage M&V Plan
Measurement and Verification Plan Maine load zone ME One of eight defined areas in New England, this one encompassing the State of Maine except for its northern tip, that include aggregations of pricing nodes used for wholesale energy market settlement. See load zone. Maine Power Reliability Program MPRP A major reliability project that includes the addition of significant new 345 kilovolt (kV) and 115 kV transmission facilities and new 345 kV autotransformers at key locations in Maine. The MPRP provides infrastructure needed to increase the ability to move electric power from New Hampshire into Maine and improves the ability of the transmission system within Maine to move power into local load pockets as necessary. Most of the MPRP projects entered service by the first half of , with the Lewiston loop portions of the project scheduled to enter service in . Maine subarea ME Regional System Plan subarea that includes western and central Maine and Saco Valley, New Hampshire. major transmission element MTE As defined in ISO Operating Procedure No. 3 (OP 3), Transmission-Outage Scheduling, a significant type of "Category A" or "Category B" transmission facility that (1) affects generators and dispatchable asset-related demand (DARD) resources or places restrictions on the operation of generators or DARDs; (2) can be further identified as, or referenced in, defined external or internal interfaces; or (3) can be referenced in a transmission operating guide, and that may have a significant impact on the reliable or economic operation of the New England transmission system and thus may have greater exposure than other transmission facilities to being canceled or denied because of economic impacts. (OP 3 generally defines Category A facilities as all transmission lines with a voltage level of 115 kV and above, except for the ones designated as Category B facilities in accordance with the current Transmission Operating Agreement; all transmission intertie between control areas; all transformers that have Category A facilities connected to the lower voltage side of the transformer; all transformers that require a Category A facility to be taken out of service when the transformer is taken out of service; and all breakers and disconnects connected to, and all associated equipment specifically installed to, support the operation of such transmission lines, interties, and transformers. Category B facilities generally are all 115 kV radial transmission lines and 69 kV transmission lines that are not interties between control areas; all transformers that only have Category B facilities connected to the lower voltage side of the transformer, except to the extent such transformers are designated as Category A facilities; and all breakers and disconnects connected to, and all associated equipment specifically installed to, support the operation of Category B facilities.) manual response rate MRR The megawatt/minute rate at which a generator&#;s output is capable of changing by manually controlling the unit, used for generator auditing, redeclarations, purchasing winter capability, determining activation of reserves, and other measures. MAPE
mean absolute percent error marginal
Barely exceeding a lower limit, such as a resource&#;s offer in the wholesale electricity markets that is slightly higher than the market clearing price. marginal emissions rate
A measure (pounds/megawatt-hours; lb/MWh) of the energy-weighted average emissions from a unit that would typically increase its output if the regional energy demand were higher during the period of interest In New England. Assumed marginal units typically are natural-gas-fired generators and oil-fired generators, including those burning residual, distillate, diesel, kerosene, and jet fuel. The marginal emissions rate is calculated by dividing the emissions from the assumed marginal units during the desired period in pounds by the generation (MWh) from the assumed marginal units. Assumed marginal units also may be expressed as lb/million British thermal unit (MMBtu) by applying a systemwide conversion factor. marginal heat rate
A measure (million British thermal unit/megawatt-hour; MMBtu/MWh) of how efficiently assumed marginal units (i.e., in New England, units fueled with natural gas or oil, including residual, distillate, diesel, kerosene, and jet fuel) convert fuel to electricity. This rate is equal to the amount of fuel consumed by the assumed marginal units divided by the actual generation of the assumed marginal units. marginal loss component
A component of the locational marginal price for electric energy that reflects the marginal cost of additional losses caused by supplying an increment of load at that location. marine and hydrokinetic energy, marine and hydrokinetic power MHK Technologies that use waves, currents, and ocean thermal resources to generate electricity. Maritimes and Northeast Pipeline M&N; M&NP A natural gas pipeline that transports natural gas from offshore Nova Scotia to markets in Atlantic Canada and the northeastern United States. market efficiency transmission upgrade METU A type of transmission upgrade in ISO New England primarily designed to reduce the total net production cost to supply the system load, including the costs for electric energy, capacity, reserves, and losses and those associated with bilateral prices for electricity. market information server MIS An electronic repository for numerous types of customer reports on wholesale energy market results, settlement details, external ties, winter reliability performance, and many other aspects of the markets, accessible to customers through secure file transfer protocol accounts. market monitoring and mitigation
The process of reviewing wholesale electricity market activities and outcomes, including participant behavior, price anomalies, implementation issues, actions in one market that affect the price in another market, and short- and long-term market efficiency, to assure that market outcomes are consistent with a competitive market. market operator interface MOI A computer interface used by ISO New England system operators to manage the real-time market (also see EMS market user interface). market resource alternative MRA A supply or demand resource alternative to a regulated transmission solution, at one or more locations in an area, for meeting an ISO transmission system reliability need in that area identified in a needs assessment or other transmission study. market settlement system MSS An ISO system for financially settling market participant transactions associated with the various wholesale electricity markets, market products, and other services. Market Support Services MSS ISO department that assists market participants with their new and existing accounts, addresses inquiries from participants and other interested stakeholders, provides ISO training programs, and offers other services to ISO customers. Markets Committee MC A standing technical committee of the New England Power Pool (NEPOOL) and one of the principal committees that advises the NEPOOL Participants Committee and the ISO on the rules and procedures governing the operation of the wholesale electricity markets, recommends action by the Participants Committee, and may act on its behalf when necessary. master control center MCC The ISO in its role as operator of all transmission facilities in the New England region rated 115 kilovolts and above. maximum-achievable control technology MACT As set forth in the US Clean Air Act&#;s National Emissions Standard for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAPS), the maximum degree of emissions reductions the US Environmental Protection Agency has determined is achievable for an emissions source category, taking into consideration the costs of achieving such reductions and any non-air-quality health and environmental impacts and energy requirements. maximum-allowable operating pressure MAOP Per the minimum US safety standards for the transportation of natural gas and other gas by pipeline, the maximum pressure at which a pipeline or segment of pipeline may be operated; applicable for gas transmission lines, distribution lines, master meters, and liquefied petroleum gas systems, with consideration of location, design of the pipe and its components, system pressure or leakage tests, operating history, and overpressure protection. MC
Markets Committee MCC
master control center MCL
maximum capacity limit MDE
maximum daily energy MDI
Mount Desert Island ME
Maine subarea ME
Maine load zone MEA
Marginal Emissions Analysis mean absolute percent error MAPE A measure of the accuracy of a forecasting method&#;s predictions and the magnitude of a forecast error, which the ISO&#;s internal market monitor has used for estimating the accuracy of a demand response resource&#;s baseline load reductions. mechanical draft cooling tower
A device of a power plant (or other industrial facility) that cools heated process water or other fluid using mechanical fans that draw air through the tower and into contact with the heated fluid. megavolt MV 1 million volts. megavolt-ampere MVA A measure of the capacity of electrical equipment; see kilovolt-ampere (kVA). megavolt-ampere reactive MVAR A measure of reactive power incapable of doing work, equal to 1 million volt ampere reactive. megawatt MW A unit of power equal to one million watts or 1,000 kilowatts; a measure of the capacity of a power station. megawatt-hour MWh A unit for measuring electric power or the rate at which energy is produced or consumed; equal to 1,000 kilowatts of electricity used for one hour, or 1,000 kilowatt-hours. Also equal to 1 million (10<sup>6</sup>) watts. megawatt-month MW-month The energy produced by one megawatt of generation over a period of one month. Memorandum of Understanding MOU A formal agreement between two or more parties to establish official partnerships or indicate an intended common line of action; used in New England, for example, among the ISO, New England Power Pool, and the New England States Committee on Electricity (NESCOE) to delineate NESCOE&#;s terms of operation, operating agreement, and code of conduct. MEPCO Grandfathered Transmission Service Agreement MGTSA A Maine Electric Power Company (MEPCO) long-term, firm point-to-point Transmission Service Agreement between the ISO and a transmission service provider, with a point of receipt or point of delivery at the New Brunswick border and a start date before June 1, , where the holder has elected this grandfathered treatment (as further described in the ISO&#;s Open Access Transmission Tariff, Sections 11.44 and II.45.1), including for elevated scheduling and curtailment transactions in the Real-Time Energy Market, reservation priorities, terminations, and other provisions. merchant transmission facility MTF An independently developed and funded transmission facility in the region subject to the operational control of the ISO, pursuant to an operating agreement specific to each facility. merchant transmission operating agreement MTOA An agreement between the ISO and a merchant transmission facility owner with respect to its facility&#;s offer of transmission service. mercury Hg A highly toxic metallic element occurring in rock deposits around the world, including coal, which when burned for fuel emits volatized vapors harmful to human health and the environment. Meter Data Error RBA Submission Limit
The date 30 calendar days after the issuance of an invoice containing the results of a data reconciliation, according to the process described in Market Rule 1, Section III.3.6. METU
market efficiency transmission upgrade MGTSA
MEPCO Grandfathered Transmission Service Agreement Mid-America Interconnected Network MAIN A former regional reliability council for coordinating electric power system planning and operating activities in 10 Midwestern states, dissolved December 31, , and realigned with the Southeastern Electric Reliability Council. Midwest Reliability Organization, and ReliabilityFirst Corporation. mileage payment
A payment to a generator providing regulation service according to how much the generator&#;s output fluctuates (in megawatts) in response to a regulation signal sent by the ISO. milepost MP A post indicating the distance in miles from a given point; also a post placed one mile from a similar marking post. million MM Denotes million in gas usage. million British thermal units MMBtu (Sometimes shown as MBtu.) million cubic feet MMcf A gas measurement. Min Gen
Minimum Generation (Emergency) Minimum Generation (Emergency) Min Gen A type of abnormal system condition declared by the ISO for which it anticipates requesting one or more generating resources to operate at or below its economic minimum limit. A widespread power outage that greatly reduces the demand for electric energy compared with the forecasted demand is one type of situation for which the ISO will declare a Minimum Generation Emergency to reduce the excess amount of electric power available. MIS
market information server MM
million MMBtu
million British thermal units MMcf
million cubic feet MOI
market operator interface MOPR
Minimum Offer Price Rule MOU
Memorandum of Understanding Mount Desert Island MDI Largest island off the coast of Maine with an area of 108 square miles. MP
milepost MPRP
Maine Power Reliability Program MPSA
Market Participant Service Agreement MPV
monthly performance value MRA
market resource alternative MRR
manual response rate MSS
Market Support Services MSS
market settlement system MSW
municipal solid waste MTE
major transmission element MTF
merchant transmission facility MTO
merchant transmission owner MTOA
merchant transmission operating agreement MUI
market user interface muni
municipal utility muni
municipality municipal solid waste MSW Nonhazardous garbage generated and collected by municipalities that contains biogenic materials, such as paper, cardboard, food and yard waste, wood, and leather products, and nonbiomass materials, including plastics and other synthetics. Some MSW is burned at "waste-to-energy" combustion plants to produce steam or electricity; at landfills, methane gas released from MSW can be recovered, converted, and used as an energy source. ISO New England reports on energy from MSW in its "Other Renewables" category. municipal utility muni Local government service provider of electricity, natural gas, water, sewage treatment, waste collection and management, or telecommunications, for example, for individuals living or working within that district. municipality muni A city or town with a corporate status and its own local government and the community under the town&#;s jurisdiction. MV
megavolt MVDR
measurement and verification of demand reduction MW
megawatt nameplate, nameplate capacity
The rating of a generator and a measure of its ability to produce electricity. NASDAQS
National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation System National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation System NASDAQS An electronic quotation system that provides price quotations to market participants about the more actively traded common stock issues in the "over-the-counter" (OTC) market. Some ISO market participant companies are affiliated with NASDAQ and are traded on NASDAQ. National Emissions Standard for Hazardous Air Pollutants NESHAP US Environmental Protection Agency stationary source standards for pollutants known or suspected to cause cancer or other serious health effects, such as reproduction effects or birth defects, or adverse environmental effects. Leaks, flares, and excess emissions from refineries, chemical plants, coal-fired power plants, and other industries emit hazardous air pollutant. National Environmental Policy Act NEPA US law requiring all branches of the federal government to properly assess the likelihood of significant effects on the environment of a potential major federal action and possible alternative actions before undertaking the action. The results of these studies can lead to either an approval or denial of the action or its alternatives and, if necessary, the agency&#;s plans for mitigation and monitoring activities. National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System NPDES A US Environmental Protection Agency permitting program, managed by the states, which regulates point sources that discharge pollutants to waters of the United States. Certain power plants with cooling water discharges are subject to NPDES regulations. natural draft cooling tower
A device of a power plant (or other industrial facility) that cools heated process water or other fluid using exhaust air rising in a hyperbolic shape of sufficient elevation (reaching 500 ft), which creates a temperature differential between the top and bottom of the tower and cools the heated fluid as it contacts the rising air. natural gas NG Flammable gas used as a fuel for heating, electricity, and cooking, primarily consisting of methane and other hydrocarbons; occurs naturally underground, often in association with petroleum. natural gas combined-cycle NGCC A type of power plant the uses a gas turbine to generate electricity and, with the waste heat from the gas turbine, spins a nearby steam turbine to produce more electricity. NB
New Brunswick NBP
NOX Budget Program NCIS
Network Capability Interconnection Standard NCQP
new capacity qualification package NCSP
Northeast Coordinated System Plan NECPUC
New England Conference of Public Utilities Commissioners negative spark spread
Uneconomic conversion of natural gas into electricity, which occurs when the wholesale price of electricity is less than the cost to produce it (fuel price multiplied by the heat rate). NEL
net energy for load NEMA
Northeastern Massachusetts subarea NEPA
National Environmental Policy Act NEPOOL
New England Power Pool NERC
North American Electric Reliability Corporation NESCOE
New England States Committee on Electricity NESHAP
National Emissions Standard for Hazardous Air Pollutants Net Supply Capability
Maximum Net Supply a facility is physically and contractually able to inject into the transmission or distribution system at its Retail Delivery Point. Network Capability Interconnection Standard NCIS An energy-only standard that includes the minimum criteria the ISO requires to permit a generator to connect to the transmission system so that it has no adverse impacts on reliability, stability, or the operation of the system. network model
The computer-based representation of physical transmission system assets used by ISO New England. network resource capability NRC The maximum gross and net megawatt electrical output of a generating facility at a point of interconnection (POI) at an ambient temperature at or above 50 degrees Fahrenheit (°F) for summer and at or above 0°F for winter. The NRC for a generating facility that includes multiple energy production devices is the aggregate maximum gross and net megawatt electrical output of the facility at the POI at or above 50°F and 0°F ambient summer and winter temperatures, respectively. A facility&#;s NRC is equal to or greater than its capacity network resource capability. For generating facilities that meet the grandfathering criteria under Section 5.2.4 of the Large Generator Interconnection Procedures (Open-Access Transmission Tariff, Schedule 22), the NRC is the total megawatt amount determined pursuant to that section. network topology processor NTP An Energy Management System application that calculates the real-time state of an electric power network by determining the connectivity (i.e., energized or de-energized status) of the network&#;s metering devices and the locations in the network (e.g., bus sections, breakers, switches) of these devices, which are either telemetered or updated manually by system operators. New Brunswick NB Eastern Canadian province from which ISO New England imports electricity over an interface whose limit is reevaluated annually. new cap qual
new capacity qualification New England Conference of Public Utilities Commissioners NECPUC Organization representing the utility regulatory bodies of the New England states. New England Power Pool NEPOOL A group formed in by the region&#;s private and municipal utilities to foster cooperation and coordination among the utilities in the six-state region for ensuring a dependable supply of electricity. Today, NEPOOL members are ISO stakeholders and market participants. New England States Committee on Electricity NESCOE A not-for-profit entity organized under various state and federal laws and recognized by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission; representing the collective perspective of the six New England governors in regional electricity matters and advancing the New England states&#; common interest in the provision of electricity to consumers at the lowest possible price over the long-term, consistent with maintaining reliable service and environmental quality. New England Wind Integration Study NEWIS Conducted by GE Energy Applications and Systems with EnerNex and AWS Truepower and published in December , a comprehensive, two-year ISO study of integrating wind in New England, which used a detailed on- and offshore model of New England wind; showed a snapshot of the hypothetical small, medium, and large wind power penetrations for ; and highlighted the impact of 14 wind-development scenarios on the operation of the New England power system. New Hampshire load zone NH One of eight defined areas in New England, this one encompassing the State of New Hampshire, that include aggregations of pricing nodes used for wholesale energy market settlement. See load zone. NEWIS
New England Wind Integration Study NG
natural gas NH
New Hampshire load zone NH
New Hampshire subarea NICR
net Installed Capacity Requirement NIETC
National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor no. 1 diesel fuel
A light distillate fuel oil used in high-speed diesel engines generally operated under frequent speed and load changes, such as those in city buses and similar vehicles. no. 2 fuel oil
A high-grade distillate fuel oil used for residential heating and moderate-capacity commercial and industrial burner units and as a backup fuel for peaking power plants. Also referred to as no. 2 distillate, no. 2 diesel fuel oil, heating oil, light fuel oil, or diesel fuel oil. no. 5 fuel oil
Part of the remaining component of crude oil after gasoline and other distillate fuel oils are extracted. Typically a mixture of no. 6 (75 to 80%) and no. 2 fuel oils; also referred to as a residual fuel oil or heavy fuel oil. no. 6 fuel oil
Remaining component of crude oil after gasoline and distillate fuel oils are extracted; used by oil-burning power plants. No. 6 oil (1%) refers to the percentage of sulfur in the oil; referred to as a residual fuel oil or heavy fuel oil. NOX Budget Program NBP A US Environmental Protection Agency cap and trade program from to that significantly reduced the regional transport of nitrogen oxide (NOX) emissions from electric power plants and other large industrial combustion sources in the eastern United States during the warm summer months, referred to as the ozone season, when ground-level ozone concentrations are highest. Replaced by the ozone season NOX program in under the Clean Air Interstate Rule, which required further summertime NOX reductions from the power sector. nodal price
The price for electric energy received or furnished at a node on the electric power system within any given hour. node
A point on the transmission system for which nodal prices are calculated. no-load cost
The amount ($/hr) that must be paid to participants with an ownership share in a generating unit scheduled to operate in the New England wholesale energy market. A payment in addition to the start-up fee and price offered to supply electric energy for each hour. noncoincident peak load
The sum of contributor peak loads (MW) on the bulk power system that occurred on different days and hours. non-demand-reduction-value output
The amount of an asset&#;s distributed-generation output that exceeds the average hourly load of its facility and the portion of the monthly demand-reduction value (mDRV) that does not receive gross ups when calculating the resource&#;s capacity value. nonfirm gas
natural gas delivered under a contract that allows the transportation service to be interrupted to avoid interfering with or restricting gas deliveries having a higher priority. no-notice service
When natural gas pipeline companies provide gas on short notice. nonprice retirement request NPRR An irrevocable request submitted in a Forward Capacity Auction to retire the entire capacity of a resource, subject to an ISO review for reliability impacts and that supersedes any other delist bids submitted. If the ISO determines the resource is needed for reliability, the resource owner can either retire the resource as requested or continue to operate it until the reliability need has been met and then retire the resource. See retirement delist bid. NOR
Norwalk subarea North American Electric Reliability Corporation NERC Not-for-profit international regulatory authority for assuring the reliability and security of the bulk power system in North America, with an area of responsibility spanning the continental United States, Canada, and the northern portion of Baja California, Mexico, Develops and enforces reliability standards; annually assesses seasonal and long-term reliability; monitors the bulk power system through system awareness; and educates, trains, and certifies industry personnel. Serves as the Electric Reliability Organization for North America, subject to the oversight by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and Canadian governmental authorities. Northeast Coordinated System Plan NCSP Report generated collaboratively by ISO-NE, New York ISO (NYISO), and PJM on current and planned joint activities conducted under the Northeastern ISO/RTO Planning Coordination Protocol, which ensures that the electric power system is planned on a wider, proactive and well-coordinated interregional basis. Abbreviation often includes report year (e.g., NCSP17 for report). Northeast Power Coordinating Council, Inc. NPCC For the State of New York; the six New England states; and Ontario, Québec, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia, Canada, a not-for-profit corporation that promotes and enhances the reliability of the international, interconnected bulk power system in North America. Develops regional reliability standards; assesses and enforces compliance with these standards, continent-wide and regionally; and coordinates system planning, design, and operation among its regional entities. Northeast Reliability Interconnection NRI A major 85-mile, 345-kilovolt transmission line extending from Orrington, Maine to the St. Croix River near Baileyville; interconnecting with a similar line built in New Brunswick, Canada; and linking the electrical power systems of Maine and the Canadian Maritime provinces. Northwest Vermont Reliability Project NRP A 75-mile, 345-kilovolt transmission line between West Rutland and New Haven, Vermont, with additional line and equipment upgrades, that significantly increases the capacity of the power lines between New Haven and Burlington. Norwalk Harbor--Northport, NY, Cable (formerly called the New York transmission line) NNC A 138-kilovolt AC underwater cable between Northport, New York and Norwalk, Connecticut, interconnecting ISO New England and the New York ISO. NPDES
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System NPRR
nonprice retirement request NRC
network resource capability NRCP
net regional clearing price NRI
Northeast Reliability Interconnection NRP
Northwest Vermont Reliability Project NTA
nontransmission alternative NTP
network topology processor NX-12; NX-12E
Forms submitted to ISO New England that identify technical data associated with assets. NY
New York Balancing Authority Area O3
ozone ODR
other demand resource offer
A request to provide supply (in megawatts) at a specific location on the electric power system. offer floor price OFP For a new capacity resource, the project-specific lowest price at which the resource can remain in a Forward Capacity Auction to be profitable. For resources comprised of multiple technology types, the lowest economic auction price based on a weighted average of the technologies&#; floor prices. offer-review trigger price ORTP As part of the buyer-side market power mitigation structure for screening capacity offers from new resources in a Forward Capacity Auction (FCA), a threshold price ($/kW-month) the internal market monitor (IMM) sets for each new resource technology type participating in an FCA, below which any new resource offers are subject to further IMM review; prevents new resources from entering the FCA at prices below their costs. off-peak hours
In New England, weekday hours between 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. and all day Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. See peak hours. offsets
Reductions in greenhouse gas emissions in certain nonelectric sectors, including reductions in landfill gas emissions and sulfur hexafluoride leaks, gas end-use efficiency savings, and afforestation. OFP
offer floor price op cap analysis
operable-capacity analysis Open-Access Same-Time Information System OASIS An internet-based system that provides information to ISO New England customers about available transmission capability and a process for requesting nondiscriminatory transmission service. It enables transmission providers and customers to communicate requests and responses to buy and sell available transmission capacity. ISO New England customers must use OASIS to conduct wheel-through transactions through the import of energy into, or the export of energy out of, the New England Balancing Authority Area via the Real-Time Energy Market. Open-Access Transmission Tariff OATT Section II of the ISO New England Transmission, Markets, and Services Tariff that aims to ensure that all transmission owners and transmission customers have fair and open access to transmission service in New England. Contains details on the rights and responsibilities of transmission owners and transmission customers, as well as the procedures they must follow and the fees transmission customers must pay to access the transmission system. Also sets out the transmission system planning process for the region and the cost-recovery and allocation mechanisms for transmission and ancillary services in the region. operable-capacity analysis op cap analysis An estimate of the availability of an electric power system&#;s net capacity under specific scenarios and load conditions. The results are in the form of operable-capacity margins, which show either an expected system surplus or a deficiency in meeting the conditions. operable-capacity margin
The amount of a power system&#;s resources that must be operational to meet peak demand plus operating-reserve requirements. operating day
A calendar day, beginning at midnight, during which market transactions are scheduled. operating reserve OR The megawatt capability of a power system greater than system demand, drawn from spinning (synchronized) and nonspinning (nonsynchronized) sources of power, which is required for providing frequency regulation, correcting load-forecasting errors, and handling forced outages, and that can be used to recover from a contingency. operating-reserve charge or credit
Formerly used terms meaning a charge or payment made to a participant whose real-time load deviated from the day-ahead schedule. Replaced with Net Commitment-Period Compensation. Do not use this term. operating-reserve cost
A formerly used term meaning a payment to a generator for operating when it was more expensive for it to do so than the price-setting generator in the electric energy markets. Replaced with Net Commitment-Period Compensation. Do not use this term. OPF
optimal power flow optimal power flow OPF A mathematical model representing the problem of determining the best operating state of the power system to meet demand while respecting physical and reliability constraints. In a market environment, the best operating state is maximizing social surplus. OR
operating reserve OTF
other transmission facility other transmission owner OTO An owner of an other transmission facility. OTO
other transmission owner out-of-merit cost
A payment to a generator for operating when it is more expensive for it to do so in the wholesale energy markets than the price-setting generator. out-of-merit dispatch
When higher-priced resources in the bulk power system are committed and dispatched before lower-priced resources to respect system reliability requirements, which results in increased cost to load. ownership share
For settlement purposes, a right or obligation to a percentage share of all credits or charges associated with a generating resource or load asset where the resource is interconnected to the New England transmission system. ozone O3 A chemical created by chemical reactions between nitrogen oxides (NOX) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the presence of sunlight, which at ground level is harmful to health, air quality, and sensitive vegetation and ecosystems. Emissions from industrial facilities and electric utilities, motor vehicle exhaust, gasoline vapors, and chemical solvents are some of the major sources of NOX and VOCs. The ozone season in New England occurs between May 1 and September 30. PA
planning authority PADD
Petroleum Administration for Defense District participating transmission owner PTO An entity that owns and maintains transmission facilities and is a party to the Transmission Operating Agreement between a Regional Transmission Organization (RTO) and a utility whereby the RTO will pay the utility for its transmission system costs in exchange for control of the transmission. particulate matter; PM10, PM2.5 PM A mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets suspended in the air, originating from a variety of sources, such as power plants, industrial processes, and diesel trucks; also formed in the atmosphere by the transformation of gaseous emissions. PMs are composed of coarse and fine particles, although their chemical and physical compositions vary depending on location, time of year, and weather. PM 10 refers to inhalable coarse particles larger than 2.5 micrometers in diameter but smaller than 10 micrometers. PM 2.5 refers to fine particles with diameters less than 2.5 micrometers. pay for performance PFP A Forward Capacity Market project to create strong financial incentives for all capacity suppliers, without exception, to maximize performance and availability during scarcity conditions (i.e., during operating-reserve deficiencies)&#;for ensuring that supply resources face appropriate market-based incentives and have the financial capability to undertake cost-effective investments that improve resource performance and power system reliability. PDC
phasor data concentrator PDR
passive demand capacity resource peak energy rent PER An adjustment in capacity market payments for all generating and import system resources (on line and off line) when prices in the electric energy market go above a certain level (i.e., a strike price that estimates the cost of the most expensive resource on the system), which usually occurs when electricity demand is high. PER prevents an overcollection of payments from two separate markets (energy and capacity) for a resource that performs during periods of high demand. It also encourages a resource to produce electricity during periods of high demand or emergency conditions because a resource not producing electricity during these periods still is subject to the capacity payment adjustment. peak-load generating unit, peaking unit
A generating unit usually on line to meet power system requirements during very high, peak-day load periods when the demand on the system is the greatest and that may be used in response to system contingencies because they can start up quickly on demand and operate for only a few hours; typically operates less than 10% of the year (i.e., a few hundred hours per year) and at a relatively high cost (i.e., when the price of electric energy is high). PER
peak energy rent performance hours
Hours during seasonal performance months when demand capacity resources&#; performance is measured according to demand capacity resource type. performance month
A month when demand capacity resource performance is measured for determining a monthly or seasonal demand-reduction value. Summer months are June, July, and August, and winter months are December and January. The performance of active demand capacity resources is measured in all months when dispatched. permanent delist bid
A delist bid that prohibits a resource from participating in any future Forward Capacity Auction (FCA) or assuming any capacity obligation unless it qualifies for and clears as a new resource in a subsequent FCA. PFP
pay for performance phasor measurement unit PMU A device that measures the electrical waves on a power grid at a remote site using synchronized real-time measurements (i.e., synchrophasors) and Global Positioning System (GPS) technology, which accurately monitor the performance of the grid and provide specific data for operating the system and enhancing its design. planned outage
The planned inoperability of a generator, generally to perform maintenance. planned reserve margin PRM Amount of regional reserve capacity projected to be available in a given year, calculated by subtracting that year&#;s forecasted annual peak load (as published in ISO-NE&#;s CELT Report) from the net Installed Capacity Requirement (NICR). The PRM also can be expressed as a percentage of forecast annual peak load: [(PRM MW) / (forecasted annual peak load MW)] x 100. (Also see actual reserve margin.) Planning Advisory Committee (ISO New England) PAC An open stakeholder forum that provides input and feedback to ISO New England on the regional system planning process, which involves developing and reviewing transmission needs assessments, identifying and prioritizing requests for economic studies to be performed by the ISO, developing solutions studies and competitive solutions, conducting the public-policy transmission study process, and developing the Regional System Plan (RSP) and updates to the RSP Project List and Asset-Condition List. planning authority PA An entity responsible for coordinating and integrating transmission facility and service plans, resource plans, and protection systems. The ISO has registered with the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) as a PA and is responsible for complying with NERC standards applicable to a PA. plug-in electric vehicle PEV Vehicles with electric motors used alone or in combination with a gas engine whose batteries are charged by plugging into an external power source; includes battery electric vehicles (BEVs) that use only the energy stored in rechargeable batteries, plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) that use electric motors and internal combustion engines, and extended-range electric vehicles that have battery packs and gas-powered generators. PMU
phasor measurement unit pool transmission facility PTF A facility rated 69 KV or above owned by a participating transmission owner over which the ISO has operating authority in accordance with the terms set forth in the Transmission Operating Agreements. portfolio bid
A single bid from multiple resources. posturing
Instances in which generators are directed to operate below their economic dispatch point for reliability reasons. pounds per square inch PSI Pressure as pounds of force and square inches of air. pounds per square inch in guage psig The pressure difference between a supply tank and the outside air. Power Purchase Agreement PPA A contract between an entity that generates electricity (the seller) and one looking to purchase electricity (the buyer). power system
The elements of an electrical system, including generation units, transmission lines, distribution lines, substations, and other equipment. power year
A year that runs from June 1 through May 31 of the following year used to calculate the Installed Capacity Requirement for the New England Balancing Authority Area. The ISO calculates the ICR for each upcoming power year through the capacity commitment period associated with a Forward Capacity Auction. Each power year is the same as a capacity commitment period. PPA
Power Purchase Agreement PPTU
public policy transmission upgrade price response
The reduction of electricity consumption in response to a price signal from the ISO in exchange for compensation based on wholesale electricity prices (also see demand response). On June 1, , a new price-responsive demand structure went into effect in ISO New England&#;s marketplace. price-quantity pairs
Price-sensitive bid-block information that consists of a quantity of megawatts and the available dollar price for the megawatts. price-responsive demand PRD Load that reduces its electricity consumption in response to a price signal from the ISO in exchange for compensation based on wholesale electricity prices. price-sensitive demand
The purchase of electric energy up to a certain price. price-taker
A market participant whose buying and selling actions do not affect the market price; a generator that has offered into the market at zero dollars or has self-scheduled, is willing to operate at any price, and is not eligible to set clearing prices. In general, do not use this term. prime mover
The motive force that drives an electric generator, such as a water or steam turbine, which converts thermal or hydraulic energy into mechanical energy that will in turn be converted to electrical energy. Falling water, heat, wind, nuclear, fossil fuels (oil, natural gas, coal), biomass, and the sun are fuels used to drive prime movers. PRM
planned reserve margin probabilistic analysis
An analysis that estimates the level of certainty of an event taking place and that recognizes that the inputs are uncertain. PROMOD
A production cost program that provides detailed representations of the transmission network. Provider-of-Last-Resort Services (POLR Services) POLR A provider of standard offer, transitional standard offer, default, basic electric, or last-resort electricity service, typically a distribution company or a state agency, such as a Public Utilities Commission, that has procured wholesale generation. PSI
pounds per square inch psig
pounds per square inch in guage PTF
pool transmission facility PTO
participating transmission owner public policy transmission upgrade PPTU Improvements or additions to the regional transmission system designed to meet state, federal, and local (i.e., municipal and county) public policy requirements identified as driving transmission needs. Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act PURPA Enacted in , a US law intended to reduce demand, increase the use of domestic energy and renewable energy sources, and diversify the electric power industry; requires competition in the utility industry, which created a market for power from nonutility power producers and led to the restructuring of the industry. pumped storage
Water that has been pumped up to a storage pond for use at a later time to generate electricity. pumped-storage facility
A generating facility that pumps water up to a storage pond, often during periods of low electric energy demand and lower costs, to produce electricity at a later time, particularly when demand and prices are higher. purchasing-selling entity PSE An entity that purchases, or sells, and takes title to, electric energy or capacity; arranges for transmission service required by tariffs; and requests the implementation of arranged interchange. May be affiliated or unaffiliated merchants and may or may not own generating facilities. PURPA
Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act PV
solar photovoltaic QC
qualified capacity QDN
Qualification Determination Notification QUA
Qualified Upgrade Award Qualification Determination Notification QDN A formal, written notification the ISO provides to a project sponsor of a resource they wish to qualify for a Forward Capacity Auction, which includes the ISO&#;s determination of the project status and the resource&#;s qualified megawatts for summer and winter periods; a list of transmission upgrades as part of an initial interconnection analysis, if applicable; and, as determined by the market monitor, the offer-review trigger price for participating in the auction, which is the generic benchmark price (by technology type) representing the low-end estimate of the net cost of new entry (net CONE) (i.e., the estimated break-even revenue contribution required from the capacity market). Qualified Upgrade Award QUA Financial awards granted to entities that pay for transmission upgrades (i.e., generator-interconnection upgrades and elective transmission upgrades) that increase the transfer capability of the New England transmission system and make it possible to award additional Financial Transmission Rights (FTRs) in an FTR auction in an amount consistent with the incremental revenues resulting from the FTRs awarded due to the transmission upgrade. RA
reconfiguration auction RA
Reliability Agreement RAA
Reserve Adequacy Analysis RAA
Resource Adequacy Assessment RACT
reasonably available control technology ramp rate
The rate at which a generating resource can increase its output, usually expressed in megawatts per minute (MW/min.) RBU
regional benefit upgrade RC
reliability coordinator RCP
regulation clearing price reactive power
The component of electric power that contributes no useful work (see real power and apparent power). Also, the total volt-amperes in an electrical circuit that represent the power in the electric fields developed during the transmission of alternating-current power, expressed as volt-ampere reactive (VAR) and megavolt-ampere reactive (MVAR) units. ready-to-respond asset
An asset registered in an ISO demand-response program that has received ISO approval, has installed and made operational all the required metering systems, and has provided sufficient data to the ISO for establishing a customer baseline and the ability to calculate the reduction in demand. real power
The portion of the flow of electric energy that performs work or energy transfers, measured in kilowatts or megawatts; active power (as opposed to reactive power). (Also see apparent power.) real time RT A period in the current operating day for which the ISO dispatches resources to provide electric energy and regulation service and, if necessary, commits additional resources. real-time emergency generation RTEG Before June 1, , distributed generation the ISO called on to operate during certain voltage-reduction or more severe actions, but needed to limit its operation to 600 MW to comply with the generation&#;s federal, state, or local air quality permit(s), as well as the ISO&#;s market rules. RTEG operations resulted in curtailing load on the power system as the distributed energy provided by the emergency generator began serving demand. Effective June 1, , when demand-response resources were fully integrated into the New England markets, all ISO tariff provisions associated with RTEGs were deleted. See demand-response capacity resource and active demand capacity resource. Real-time Locational Marginal Prices RT LMP Prices in real-time energy markets that enable participants to buy and sell electric energy during the day of operation. Real-Time Price-Response Program
A prior ISO New England program whereby participants were paid real-time prices for their voluntary reductions in electricity usage when the forecast hourly zonal price was greater than or equal to $100/MWh. Participants submitted their meter readings to the ISO each day on the same schedule as other meter data or before the end of the 90-day resettlement period. On June 1, , a new price-responsive demand structure went into effect in ISO New England&#;s marketplace. See price response. Real-Time Profiled-Response Program
A retired ISO New England program that called on demand-response resources to interrupt load within two hours of an ISO instruction to do so and used an ISO-approved measurement and verification plan to estimate the resources&#; load response. real-time reserve pricing
A way to co-optimize the use of resources for providing real-time reserves and electric energy by optimizing the use of local transmission capabilities and generating resources to provide the electric energy and reserves. reasonably available control technology RACT Under the US EPA&#;s "New Source Review" program addressing air pollution, required technology on existing sources of emissions in areas not meeting national ambient air quality standards (i.e., nonattainment areas). redeclaration
Restatement of a resource&#;s availability, limits, or other offer or bid parameters, except price-related supply offer data, which market participants submit to ISO New England and that reflect changes in the status or capability of the participant&#;s resource. Also, changes that ISO New England makes to a resource on the basis of the resource&#;s actual performance. REGCAP
regulation capacity Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative RGGI A nine-state program in the Northeast to reduce the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from fossil power plants 25 MW and larger in these states. Each state is allocated a share (allowance) of an annual emissions cap on the basis of historical emissions and negotiations; one allowance equals the limited right to emit one ton of CO2. regional network service RNS The transmission service over the pool transmission facilities (PTFs), including services used for network resources or regional network load not physically interconnected with a PTF. Regional Transmission Organization RTO An independent regional transmission operator and service provider established by the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and that meets FERC&#;s RTO criteria, including those related to independence and market size. The RTO controls and manages the high-voltage flow of electricity over an area generally larger than the typical power company&#;s service territory for its distribution system. regulation
The capability of specially equipped generators to increase or decrease their generation output every four seconds in response to signals they receive from the ISO to balance supply levels with the second-to-second variations in demand. Also see voltage regulation. regulation clearing price RCP The price for regulation service equal to the highest offer from the resources selected to provide regulation service on the basis of least-cost offers per Market Rule 1, Section 11.14.5. regulation resource
A generator that responds to second-to-second dispatch signals to instantaneously balance supply and demand. regulation service
The second-to-second response of generators to dispatch signals for meeting instantaneous variations in demand. reliability
The assurance that electric power is available even under adverse conditions, such as storms or outages of generation or transmission lines. Reliability Agreement RA An agreement made between the ISO and a generator owner whereby an approved generator continues to operate, even when it is not economical to do so, to ensure system reliability, and whereby the generation owner recovers the fixed costs for this operation; formerly termed Reliability Must-Run (RMR) Agreement. Reliability Assessment Program RAP Reliability Assessment Subcommittee RAS reliability coordinator RC The entity with the highest level of authority for reliably operating the bulk electric power system, including the authority to prevent or mitigate emergency operating situations in next-day and real-time operations. The ISO has registered with the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) as an RC and is responsible for complying with NERC standards applicable to an RC. reliability cost
The cost of protecting against a disruption in service or damage to equipment. Reliability Must Run RMR See Reliability Agreement. (RMR is no longer used.) reliability region
A defined region within ISO New England that reflects the operating characteristics of, and the major constraints on, the region&#;s transmission system. These regions contain the load zones. reliability resource
A generator that operates to support the transmission system by providing operating reserve or another service. reliability security
A measure of the reliability of the bulk electric power system in terms of its ability to withstand disturbances arising within the system. reliability transmission upgrade RTU A transmission addition or upgrade necessary to ensure the system&#;s continued reliability and not necessary to support a generator interconnection. Reliability-Must-Run Agreement
See Reliability Agreement. Do not use this term. Reliability-Must-Run resource
A resource scheduled to operate out of economic-merit order and identified by the ISO as necessary to preserve the reliability of a reliability region. See Reliability Agreement. Do not use this term. renewable energy
Sources of fuel continually replenished and never exhausted, such as solar, hydro, wind, selected biomass, geothermal, ocean thermal, and tidal sources of power. Landfill gas also is regarded as a renewable resource, and some states consider fuel cells to be renewable. Pumped hydro is not considered a renewable resource because the electricity for pumping mostly comes from fossil fuel and nuclear (i.e., nonrenewable) generators. representative net Installed Capacity Requirement
An illustrative future Installed Capacity Requirement for the region, minus a monthly value that reflects the annual installed capacity benefits of the Hydro-Québec Phase II Interconnection. The ISO calculates representative net ICR values solely to inform New England stakeholders; these values have not and will not be filed with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for approval. Reserve Adequacy Analysis RAA The analysis the ISO performs at the close of the reoffer period to ensure that adequate resources are committed for meeting the forecasted load and operating reserve requirements for the Real-Time Energy Market. (Not to be confused with &#;Resource Adequacy Assessment&#; or &#;Resource Adequacy Analysis.&#;) reserve capacity
The amount of capacity a system can supply greater than what is required to meet demand. Reserve Sharing Group RSG A group whose members consist of two or more balancing authorities that collectively maintain, allocate, and supply operating reserves required for each balancing authority&#;s use in recovering from contingencies within the group. A balancing authority can become part of a reserve sharing group if it can transfer electric energy to an adjacent balancing authority area to aid in recovery and the energy can be scheduled to be ramped in within 10 minutes or less. The ISO has registered with the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) as an RSG and is responsible for complying with NERC standards applicable to an RSG. reserve zone
An area for which the ISO has established 30-minute operating reserve requirements, which are met by the reserve markets. The New England region has four reserve zones&#;Connecticut, Southwest Connecticut, Northeast Massachusetts/Boston, and Rest-of-System. Reserve-Constraint Penalty Factor RCPF Rates, in $/MWh, that act as a cap on the Forward Reserve Market clearing price, and when reached, signal the marketplace that the system is short of reserves. RCPFs typically are triggered infrequently and are short in duration. Higher RCPFs provide stronger signals for resources to increase reserves supply. reserved capacity
The maximum amount of capacity and electric energy (in kilowatts or megawatts) committed to a transmission customer for transmission over the New England power system between the point of receipt and the point of delivery under the Open-Access Transmission Tariff. Reserve-Shortage Pricing Event
When the balancing authority area is experiencing a deficiency in total 10-minute operating reserves or the ISO is taking actions to maintain 10-minute operating reserves. The ISO also will declare this condition when the balancing authority area is experiencing a deficiency in total operating reserves that has lasted for at least four hours and the ISO has begun taking actions to maintain or restore operating reserves. Residual Supply Index RSI An indication of structural competitiveness of the wholesale electricity markets that identifies instances when the largest supplier has market power and can economically or physically withhold generation and influence the market price. RSI measures the percentage of real-time demand that can be met without energy from the largest supplier&#;s portfolio of generation resources. resource
Any source of electric energy that increases the availability of capacity (in megawatts), such as a generator, a demand-response resource, or an electricity import or external transaction. Resource Adequacy Assessment RAA
A long-term planning quantitative analysis the ISO performs to prospectively assess resource adequacy in the region. (Also known as &#;Resource Adequacy Analysis.&#; Not to be confused with &#;Reserve Adequacy Analysis.&#;)
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Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (US) RCRA A US Environmental Protection Agency law that developed regulations, guidelines, and policies addressing the safe management and cleanup of hazardous and nonhazardous solid waste and programs that encourage source reduction and beneficial reuse. resource planner RP An entity that develops a long-term plan (generally one year and beyond) for the resource adequacy of specific loads within a Planning Authority area. The ISO has registered with the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) as an RP and is responsible for complying with NERC standards applicable to an RP. Resource Reliability Assessment RRA As part of the Florida Reliability Coordinating Council&#;s annual assessment of the bulk power system in the region to ensure resource adequacy, an aggregation and review of forecasted resource data reflecting expected conditions over the next 10 years. rest of system ROS One of the regions reserve zone, which excludes the other, local zones (in consisting of Greater Connecticut, Greater Southwest Connecticut, and NEMA/Boston) that represent areas within the New England power system that require local 30-minute contingency response as part of normal system operations to satisfy local second-contingency response reliability criteria. Restated NEPOOL Agreement RNA The restated contract between the ISO and the New England Power Pool that (a) provides for certain understandings among the participants concerning their collective, coordinated interactions with, and responsibilities to, each other and their collective interaction with the system operator consistent with the agreement; (b) provides a stakeholder advisory process for the ISO in its role as the Regional Transmission Organization (RTO) for the New England Control Area, and (c) provides a vehicle for the participation by publicly owned entities in the RTO process. retail delivery pointThe point on the transmission or distribution system at which the load of an end-use facility, which the host participant meters and assigns a unique account number, is measured to determine the amount of electric energy the transmission or distribution system delivered to the facility. For end-use facilities connected to the transmission or distribution system at more than one location, the retail delivery point consists of the metered load at each connection point, summed to measure the net energy delivered to the facility in each interval. retirement
The permanent removal from service of a facility, which cannot return to service without major refurbishment. retirement delist bid
An irrevocable request to permanently remove capacity from all ISO markets at the start of a capacity commitment period. return on equity ROE A measure of how much income (i.e., profit) a company generates with the equity available to it from shareholders, equal to net income divided by shareholders&#; equity. RFO
Residual Fuel Oil RGGI
Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative Rhode Island load zone RI One of eight defined areas in New England, this one encompassing the State of Rhode Island, that include aggregations of pricing nodes used for wholesale energy market settlement. See load zone. Rhode Island Reliability Project RIRP A component of the New England East-West Solutions that strengthens the 345 kV transmission system and addresses reliability concerns in the three southern New England states, completed in . Rhode Island subarea RI Regional System Plan subarea that includes the part of Rhode Island bordering Massachusetts. RI
Rhode Island subarea RI
Rhode Island load zone RIG
Remote Intelligent Gateway RIRP
Rhode Island Reliability Project RMCP
reserve market clearing price RMR
Reliability Must Run RNA
Restated NEPOOL Agreement RNS
regional network service ROE
return on equity ROP
rest of pool ROS
rest of system ROSE
Region of Stability Existence RP
resource planner RR
resulting reserves RRA
Resource Reliability Assessment RSC
resource scheduling and commitment RSG
Reserve Sharing Group RSI
Residual Supply Index RSP
Regional System Plan RSP subaarea for southern Maine SME Regional System Plan study area comprising southern Maine used for conducting several types of regional system planning analyses, such as production cost simulations. See subarea. RT
real time RTEP
Regional Transmission Expansion Plan RTO
Regional Transmission Organization RTOP
regional transmission operator RTU
reliability transmission upgrade RTU
remote terminal unit SAB
supplemental availability bilateral Sable Offshore Energy Project SOEP Offshore natural gas project off Nova Scotia, Canada producing natural gas and liquids since but expected to be depleted before ; the Maritimes and Northeast Pipeline carries the natural gas to markets in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and the Northeast United States. SAD
supplemental availability designation SBC
system benefits charge SCADA
supervisory control and data acquisition scarcity pricing
Mechanism for compensating on-line generators above the marginal cost of electric energy> for the increased value of their energy when the system or portions of the system are short of reserves. SCC
seasonal claimed capability Scf
standard cubic foot Schedule 20A service provider SSP A provider of firm and nonfirm point-to-point transmission service per the specifications of the ISO&#;s Open-Access Transmission Tariff (OATT), Schedule 20A, which specifies for each provider the facilities, charges, lost opportunity costs, discounts, billing information, creditworthiness requirements, financial assurance, credit levels, financial reviews, and other terms of service. scheduled outage
When a power system element is intentionally shut down, usually to allow for maintenance or other preplanned activities. SCR
selective catalytic reduction SDC
sloped demand curve SEA
state estimator availability seams issues
Trading barriers between adjoining wholesale electricity markets resulting from the use of different rules and procedures by the neighboring markets, which can obstruct the trading or sharing of electric capacity and energy between the two markets and affect the reliability of each system. seasonal claimed capability SCC A generator&#;s maximum production or output during a particular season, adjusted for physical and regulatory limitations. second contingency, second-contingency loss N-1-1, N-2 After the occurrence of a first contingency, the loss of the facility that at that time has the largest impact on the system. Also, a constraint met by maintaining an operating reserve that can increase output when the first contingency occurs. second-contingency reliability cost
The cost of dispatching a resource to protect against a disruption in service in the event of the sudden loss of several generators, other resources, or transmission lines. selective catalytic reduction SCR A post-combustion nitrogen oxide (NOX) control technology for fossil-fired generators, which chemically reduces NOX into molecular nitrogen (N2) and water vapor using a nitrogen-based reducing reagent, such as ammonia or urea, and a catalyst to allow the process to occur at lower temperatures. selective noncatalytic reduction SNCR A post-combustion nitrogen oxide (NOX) control technology for fossil-fired generators, which chemically reduces NOX into molecular nitrogen (N2) and water vapor using a nitrogen-based reducing reagent, such as ammonia or urea, self-schedule SS When a market participant commits and schedules its resource at a determined output level to provide generation within an hour, regardless of price or whether the ISO could have scheduled or dispatched the resource to provide the service. self-supply
When a market participant provides itself with a market product from its own resources rather than purchasing it from the market. SEMA
Southeastern Massachusetts subarea SEMA
Southeast Massachusetts load zone sequential-clearing methodology
A method the ISO used to accept offers for the now-expired Day-Ahead Load-Response Program after an approved solution to the Day-Ahead Energy Market had been determined. settlement-only generator, settlement-only unit; settlement-only resource SOG A generating unit that produces less than 5 MW and is entitled to receive capacity credit but is not centrally dispatched by the ISO control room and is not monitored in real time. settlements model
Computer-based software used to determine financial settlements in ISO New England. SGIA
Small Generator Interconnection Agreement SGIP
Small Generator Interconnection Procedure shortage event
A designated period (hours) of stressed system conditions during which capacity resources are most needed. shortfall
Insufficient revenue. show of interest SOI A form participants submit to the ISO indicating interest in participating in the Forward Capacity Market; contains sufficient information to perform preliminary analysis of the effects of the proposal on the New England power system. SIDU
synchrophasor infrastructure and data utilization SIP
State Implementation Plan SIS
System Impact Study sloped demand curve SDC Graphical representation of the relationship between the price and the consumption level of a market product, where typically the price falls as the consumption level increases. One example of the sloped demand curve is the downward-sloping systemwide demand curve the ISO developed for the ninth Forward Capacity Auction (FCA #9 held in ), which establishes aggregate demand for capacity resources in the New England region over a range of possible prices. The sloped demand curve facilitates the procurement of sufficient capacity in each FCA to maintain resource adequacy and reduce price volatility over time, yielding smaller swings in capacity prices when the market moves from conditions of excess supply to periods when new capacity resources are needed, which occurs as aging plants retire. SLR
static line rating Small Generator Interconnection Agreement SGIA A three-party agreement between a small generating facility (i.e., smaller than 20 MW per the ISO&#;s Transmission, Markets, and Services Tariff, Section II, Schedule 23) wishing to interconnect to the New England transmission system, the transmission owner, and the ISO, addressing the terms for the scope of service, interconnection facilities, testing and inspections, metering, communications, operations, maintenance, performance obligation, billing, emergency actions, regulatory requirements, notifications, defaults, indemnity, environmental releases, and other requirements. smart grid
According to the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), a "next-generation" electrical power system that typically employs the increased use of communications and information technology for generating, delivering, and consuming electrical energy. SMD
Standard Market Design SMD
solar magnetic disturbance SME
RSP subaarea for southern Maine SME
Southeastern Maine subarea SMS
Settlement Market System SNCR
selective noncatalytic reduction SO2
sulfur dioxide SOB
supply obligation bilateral SOEP
Sable Offshore Energy Project SOI
show of interest SOL
system operating limit solar magnetic disturbance SMD A type of geomagnetic disturbance of the Earth&#;s magnetic field (in the case of SMDs, caused by solar flares, coronal mass ejections, solar wind, or solar energetic particles), which can induce a current that enters and exits the electric power system at transformer grounds and, in some cases, cause abnormal voltages, erroneous tripping of needed equipment, and other disruptions in normal system operation. See geomagnetic disturbance. solar photovoltaic PV The production of electric current from sunlight via an electronic process that occurs naturally in certain types of materials, which can power electrical devices or send electricity to the power grid. Solar PV resources participate in the ISO New England wholesale markets. Refers to solar photovoltaic resources. Southern New England Transmission Reinforcement (Study) SNETR A comprehensive analysis of bulk power system needs for the southern New England region conducted from about to , which was followed by a series of transmission upgrades completed over the subsequent years collectively called the New England East-West Solutions (NEEWS). SPC
system production cost special protection system SPS Power system equipment designed to detect abnormal system condition and take corrective action other than the isolation of faulted elements. SPEED
Sustainably Priced Energy Development Program SPI
Strategic Planning Initiative spinning
On-line capacity electrically synchronized to the system. spinning reserve
On-line operating reserve capability in excess of load and synchronized to the system, which a generator can fully convert into electric energy within 10 minutes after receiving a request from the ISO to do so. SPITS
System Planning Information Tracking System spot market
A market that typically involves short-term, often interruptible contracting and immediate delivery of specified volumes of electric energy, as opposed to bilateral trading. In New England, the Real-Time Energy Market is a spot market. SPS
special protection system SSCC
summer seasonal claimed capability SSCI
subsynchronous control interaction SSP
Schedule 20A service provider SSR
subsynchronous resonance standard cubic foot Scf A measurement of natural gas. Standards Authorization Request (NERC) SAR A request to the North American Electric Reliability Corporation to propose a new Reliability Standard or a revision to an existing standard. start-up fee
The dollar amount that must be paid to a market participant with an ownership share in a generating resource each time the resource is scheduled to begin operating (start up). STATCOM
static synchronous compensator state estimator availability SEA A minimum North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) requirement for measuring the percentage of time the state estimator provides valid, useful estimates of the state of the power system, such that it provides at least one estimated solution for (1) at least 97.5% of clock 10-minute periods (six nonoverlapping periods per hour) during a calendar month, and (2) every continuous 30-minute interval during a calendar day&#;to better ensure that real time network analysis, such as contingency analysis, can be performed and produce valid results. State Implementation Plan SIP The US Environmental Protection Agency-approved collection of regulations and documents a state, territory, or local air district uses to reduce air pollution from the six EPA-established "criteria" air pollutants (i.e., widespread common pollutants known to be harmful to human health) in areas that do not meet the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) established as part of the US Clean Air Act. Statement on Auditing Standards No. 70 SAS70 A widely recognized auditing standard developed by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and used by the ISO that addressed the examination of a service&#;s organization&#;s control objectives and control activities; replaced in by the Statement on Standards for Attestation Engagements (SSAE) No. 16 as the authoritative guidance for examining a service audit, and then SSAE 18 in , which the ISO presently uses. static delist bid
A delist bid submitted for a resource before a Forward Capacity Auction&#;and that cannot be changed during the auction&#;requesting for the resource to opt out of a capacity supply obligation and reflecting either the cost of the resource or a reduction in ratings as a result of ambient air conditions. The ISO may be required to submit a static delist bid on behalf of a resource that would not be able to supply its awarded capacity during the winter because its summer-qualified capacity is greater than its winter-qualified capacity. static line rating SLR A power flow rating of an overhead transmission line for determining load constraints, limiting line sag, and maintaining acceptable electrical clearances based on suitably conservative estimates for weather conditions, including ambient temperatures (or seasonal temperatures for seasonal SLRs), wind speed, solar angles, and other parameters. static synchronous compensator STATCOM A flexible alternating-current transmission system (FACTS) voltage-source converter device that helps regulate an alternating current (AC) transmission network with a poor power factor and often poor voltage regulation; consists of a direct current (DC) voltage source behind a power electronic interface connected to the AC grid through a transformer, providing grid operators a controllable voltage source with an improved range of operational voltage and faster response time. static VAR compensator SVC A flexible alternating-current transmission system (FACTS) device on a high-voltage transmission network that typically can quickly and reliably regulate and control line voltages to the required set-point reference values under normal steady-state and contingency conditions, thereby providing dynamic, fast-response reactive power following system contingencies (e.g. network short circuits, line and generator disconnections); also able to increase transfer capability, reduce losses, mitigate active power oscillations, and prevent overvoltages at loss of load. Consists of thyristor-controlled reactors (TCRs), which vary the current flow through the reactor to continuously control the reactive power output; thyristor-switched capacitors (TSCs) (i.e., capacitors with reactors and thyristor valves that switch the capacitor in and out of service); and fixed capacitors, which act as an harmonic filter by absorbing the harmonics generated by the thyristor switching and supplying a fixed reactive power to the grid. step-down transformer
A transformer, usually located on the distribution system, that converts electricity from a higher to a lower voltage. step-up transformers
A transformer, usually located at a generator site, that converts electricity from a lower to a higher voltage. Strategic Planning Initiative SPI A planning initiative the ISO, New England states, and regional stakeholders launched in to identify, analyze, understand, and determine near-term and long-term solutions for the region&#;s foremost risks to the reliable supply of electricity, including the region&#;s increased reliance on natural gas, power plant retirements, the integration of a greater amount of renewable resources, resource performance and flexibility, and the alignment of the market resource procurement process with the system planning process (i.e., the timing for determining system planning requirements and transmission solutions). Many of the ISO&#;s completed or ongoing key projects resulting from this initiative are designed to enhance the region&#;s competitive wholesale electricity markets and ensure reliable operation of the power grid. subarea
One of 13 zones into which the system is divided for conducting several types of regional system planning analyses, such as production cost simulations. sulfur dioxide SO2 A chemical harmful to human health and the environment emitted from the burning of fossil fuels by power plants and other industrial facilities. Short-term exposures to SO2 can harm the human respiratory system. High concentrations of SO2 in the air generally also lead to the formation of other sulfur oxides (SOX), which can react with other compounds in the atmosphere to form harmful particulate matter (PM) pollution. SO2 and other sulfur oxides can contribute to acid rain, which can harm sensitive ecosystems. See Acid Rain Program. summer seasonal claimed capability SSCC For participation in the Forward Capacity Market, the capability for most types of new or existing nonintermittent generating assets to perform under specified summer conditions (June to September) for a specified duration; its median net output during hours ending 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. (i.e., 1:01 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.) and any applicable shortage-event hours. superconducting synchronous condenser SuperVAR A high-temperature superconducting dynamic synchronous condenser that can provide peak and dynamic reactive compensation (leading/lagging) to a power system. SuperVAR
superconducting synchronous condenser supply
Electricity delivered to the system; generation. supply margin
Available generation (megawatts) beyond the amount needed to meet demand. supply offer
A resource&#;s proposal to furnish electric energy at a node or provide regulation service, which includes a dollar price and megawatt quantity, timing information, and other information. Sustainably Priced Energy Development Program SPEED A program initiated by the Vermont legislature in , facilitated by the Vermont Energy Education Program, (VEEP) Inc., to encourage the development of renewable energy resources in Vermont as well as the purchase of renewable power by the state&#;s electricity distribution utilities; now includes a Standard Offer Program to encourage the development of SPEED resources by making long-term contracts at fixed prices available to qualified renewable energy facilities and a mandate by state law to use a market-based mechanism to determine pricing for standard-offer projects and other provisions. SVC
static VAR compensator SWCT
Southwest Connecticut load zone SWCT
Southwest Connecticut subarea synchronous condenser
A combustion turbine (generator) or a hydroelectric resource synchronized to a transmission system that operates as a motor (i.e., it is consuming energy). Also, rotating equipment (or a generator with 0 MW output) that can provide dynamic voltage support, typically designed and operated as separate equipment from generating units. synchronous generator
A typical type of generator connected to the network. system benefits charge SBC A charge on a electric utility bill that supports technology and market development activities relevant to the power system designed to fund certain "public benefits," such as energy assistance for low-income consumers, renewable energy projects, energy research and development, and energy-efficiency programs, The ISO accounts for each New England state&#;s SBC when estimating the annual energy-efficiency forecast for each state and regionwide. system emissions rate
A measure (pound/megawatt-hour; lb/MWh) of the annual emissions produced by all generators in the region (lb) divided by the annual generation in the region (MWh). The emissions data are obtained from the US EPA Clean Air Markets database, and the generation data are obtained from ISO New England settlements. system operating limit SOL A value (such as megawatt, megavolt-ampere reactive [MVAR], ampere, frequency, or volt) for the most limiting of the prescribed operating criteria for a specified bulk electric power system configuration that ensures operation within acceptable reliability criteria. (Also see interconnection-reliability operating limit.) System Planning Information Tracking System SPITS A system the ISO used to identify and track projects in its transmission project listings. T&D loss factor
transmission and distribution loss factor TA
torque amplification TADO
total amount due and owing TAED
topology and analog error detection Tariffs, Schedules, and OASIS Administrator TSO The ISO control center operator responsible for coordinating transfers of electricity with neighboring grid operators in New York, Québec, and New Brunswick, which allow lower-cost electricity to flow into the region and can help during emergencies. TCA
Transmission Cost Allocation Tennessee Gas Pipeline TGP An 11,800-mile natural gas pipeline owned by Kinder Morgan that supplies New England and other parts of the northeastern United States, originating from Louisiana, the Gulf of Mexico, and south Texas. terawatt TW 1 trillion (10<sup>12</sup>) watts; 1 million megawatts. terawatt-hour TWh The amount of electrical energy expended by a 1 trillion-watt load over one hour. TFL
total facility load TGP
Tennessee Gas Pipeline through-or-out service TOUT Delivery of electricity through or from New England to another balancing authority area. thyristor
A solid-state semiconducting electronic device used in many types of circuits and other devices for controlling current, such as to switch reactors and capacitors onto the grid and to convert alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC). thyristor-controlled reactor TCR On a power system, a reactor in series with thyristor valves that vary the current flow through the reactor to continuously control the reactive power output. thyristor-switched capacitor TSC On a power system, a capacitor with reactors and thyristor valves that switch the capacitor in and out of service. TI
torsional interaction tie-reliability benefit
The receipt of emergency electric energy from a neighboring region that accounts for both the transmission-transfer capability of the tie lines and the emergency capacity assistance that may be available from neighboring systems when and if New England would need it; also referred to as tie-line benefits. time-of-use metering
Measuring the use of electric energy (kilowatt-hours) during different time periods, dividing each day, month, and year into various categories, with higher electricity rates at peak load periods and lower rates at off-peak load periods to facilitate a utility&#;s load control and system planning and a customer&#;s use of electricity either through automatic or voluntary load control. TO
transmission owner TOA
Transmission Operating Agreement TOP
transmission operator torque amplification TA A disturbance interaction between a turbine generator and a series-compensated transmission system (i.e., one with reactive power elements inserted in series with the transmission lines for improving voltage stability) that typically results in fast-growing and higher transient shaft torque during or after the disturbance than would otherwise occur; involves a significant fault and very high energy exchange between the series capacitor banks and the generator. torsional interaction TI The interplay between the mechanical system of a turbine generator and a series-compensated transmission system (i.e., one with reactive power elements inserted in series with the transmission lines for improving voltage stability) involving both electrical and mechanical system dynamics. When the natural torsional frequency of a turbine generator is close to the electrical system&#;s natural frequency, and if the negative electrical damping exceeds the inherent positive mechanical damping, torsional interaction and shaft torques could build up to damaging torque levels. total facility load TFL The total load at a facility, calculated for each demand capacity resource asset containing distributed generation, which equals the distributed generation output plus the facility-metered load of the facility. total transfer capability TTC The amount of electric power that can be moved or transferred reliably from one area of the interconnected transmission system to another area by way of all transmission lines between these areas under specified system conditions. TP
transmission planner transfer capability
The amount of megawatts that interconnected electric power systems under specified conditions can reliably transfer from one system to the other over all transmission lines that connect the systems. transmission
The transporting of electricity through high-voltage lines to distribution lines. transmission and distribution loss factor T&D loss factor One plus the average avoided peak transmission and distribution losses estimated to be achieved from demand reductions; transmission losses are assumed to be 2.5%, and distribution losses are assumed to be 5.5%, for a total loss factor of 8%. transmission line
Any line with a voltage greater than 50 kV that carries bulk power over long distances. Typical industry voltages are 69 kV, 115 kV, 138 kV, 230 KV, and 345 kV. Transmission Operating Agreement TOA An agreement between a participating transmission owner and the ISO that, among other things, provides the ISO with operating authority over the entity&#;s commercial transmission facility(ies). transmission operating guide TOG A document or operating plan written by ISO New England electrical engineers that prescribes actions to address thermal, voltage, or stability operating limits for transmission facilities and resources. TOGs are typically created for a specific device out of service, and sometimes for a specified load value within New England. TOGs can include transmission switching actions to preserve reliability, or prescribe generation requirements for a given configuration of the transmission system. transmission operator TOP An entity responsible for the reliability of its "local" transmission system and that operates or directs the operations of the transmission facilities. The ISO has registered with the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) as a TOP and is responsible for complying with NERC standards applicable to a TOP. transmission owner TO An entity that owns and maintains transmission facilities. transmission planner TP An entity that develops a long-term plan (generally one year and beyond) for the reliability (adequacy) of the interconnected bulk electric transmission systems within its portion of the Planning Authority area. The ISO has registered with the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) as a TP and is responsible for complying with NERC standards applicable to a TP. transmission-loading relief TLR North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) Eastern Interconnection-wide procedures some ISOs use for preventing operating-security-limit violations while respecting transmission service reservation priorities. However, ISO New England does not use TLR procedures or initiate transmission-loading-relief requests for inter-control-area interchange transactions to manage parallel flows or to initiate curtailments. Because of the geographical and electrical relationship the ISO New England Control Area has with other systems in the Eastern Interconnection, parallel flows associated with inter-control-area transactions do not flow through the ISO New England Control Area in sufficient magnitude to require the use of TLR or TLR-like procedures. TSA
Transmission Security Analysis TSA
Transmission Service Agreement TSP
transmission service provider TTC
total transfer capability TU
transaction unit TW
terawatt UCAP
unforced capacity UDS
unit dispatch system UDS
unit dispatch and scheduling UFLS
underfrequency load shedding ULS
Ultra Low Sulfur ULSD
UltraLow Sulfur Diesel ULSK
Ultra Low Sulfur Kerosene unforced capacity UCAP The amount of installed capacity associated with a resource, adjusted for availability. unit opportunity cost
The estimated cost each generating unit would incur if it adjusted its output as necessary to provide its full amount of regulation. United Illuminating Company UI unloaded operating capacity
Operational capacity not generating electric energy but able to convert to generating energy. unplanned outage
When equipment is forced out of operation as a result of a discovered problem, but the request for the outage did not meet the timing requirements for it to be considered a planned outage. Unplanned outages are categorized as emergency outages or forced outages. uplift
Payments to resources operated out of merit. See Net Commitment-Period Compensation. up-to-congestion contracts
External contracts in the Day-Ahead Energy Market that do not flow if the congestion charge is above a specified level. Real-time external transactions cannot be submitted as up-to-congestion contracts; market participants with real-time external transactions always are considered to be willing to pay congestion charges. UVLS
undervoltage load shedding value of lost load VOLL The standard metric used to estimate the economic impact of disruptions in electric power service to customers ($/megawatt-hours). VAR
voltage ampere reactive variable-frequency transformer VFT A controllable, bidirectional transmission device used to transmit and control the flow of electricity between two asynchronous (or synchronous) alternating current (AC) power networks, such as two control areas. VER
variable energy resource Vermont load zone VT One of eight defined areas in New England, this one encompassing the State of Vermont, that include aggregations of pricing nodes used for wholesale energy market settlement. See load zone. Vermont Long-Range Plan (transmission system plan) VT LRP The 20-year transmission plan of Vermont Electric Power Company (VELCO), the operator of Vermont&#;s transmission system. The plan, updated every three years, identifies reliability concerns and the transmission projects and transmission alternatives needed to maintain grid reliability. Vermont subarea VT Regional System Plan subarea that includes Vermont and southwestern New Hampshire. Virginia&#;Carolina region of the Southeastern Electric Reliability Council VACAR A Southeast Electric Reliability Council (SERC) subdivision that includes the territories of several operating entities, including Duke Energy Progress, Inc.; Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC; South Carolina Electric and Gas Company; South Carolina Public Service Authority; and the Yadkin Division of Alcoa Power Generating Inc., a subsidiary of Alcoa Inc. VOC
volatile organic compound volatile organic compound VOC Gases, many of which are hazardous and have short- and long-term adverse health effects, emitted from certain solids or liquids, such as when gasoline, wood, coal, and natural gas are burned, and from oil and natural gas fields; diesel exhaust; solvents, paints, varnishes, and glues; numerous household products, including cleaning, disinfecting, cosmetic, and degreasing products; building materials; and office equipment. When combined with nitrogen oxides, VOCs react to form ground-level ozone (i.e., smog), which contributes to climate change. Examples of VOCs are gasoline; benzene; formaldehyde; solvents such as toluene and xylene; styrene, and perchloroethylene (or tetrachloroethylene), the main solvent used in dry cleaning. VOLL
value of lost load volt; voltage V An electromotive force or electric pressure that pushes electrons through a material, like water pressure in a pipe. voltage regulation
When an electric power system provides constant voltage over a range of load conditions. voltage reliability cost
The cost of dispatching a unit or taking other actions to maintain voltage levels and the stability of the transmission network. voltage stability
The ability of an electric power system to maintain steady voltages at all buses in the system after being subjected to a disturbance from a given initial operating condition; affected by the power system&#;s ability to maintain and restore equilibrium between its load demand and load supply. voltage support
An ancillary service of the New England wholesale electricity markets a resource provides for maintaining voltage-control capability, which allows system operators to maintain transmission voltages within acceptable limits. voltage-ampere reactive VAR A measure of reactive power. volt-ampere VA The amount of apparent power in an alternating current (AC) circuit equal to a current of one ampere at an electromotive force of one volt; equivalent to a watt. VSC HVDC
voltage-source converter HVDC VT
Vermont subarea VT
Vermont load zone W
watt WACOG
weighted average cost of gas watt W The rate or ability of doing work. A measure of the real power used by a piece of electrical equipment. One watt equals 1/746 horsepower. WCSB
Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin WEA
wind energy area weather-normalized load factor
The ratio of the average hourly demand during a year to the peak hourly demand, both adjusted to normal weather conditions. weather-normalized results
Analytical results that would have been observed if the weather were the same as the long-term average. weighted average cost of gas WACOG The weighted average unit cost of a supply of natural gas, calculated as the total cost of all natural gas purchased during a base period divided by either the total quantity purchased. (unit of production) or the system throughput (unit of sales) during the same period. Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin WCSB A 1.4 million kilometer sedimentary basin underlying western Canada, including southwestern Manitoba, southern Saskatchewan, Alberta, northeastern British Columbia, and the southwest corner of the Northwest Territories that holds one of the world&#;s largest reserves of petroleum and natural gas and supplies much of the market in North America; also has a large coal reserve. Western/Central Massachusetts load zone WCMA One of eight defined areas in New England, this one encompassing the western and central parts of Massachusetts, that include aggregations of pricing nodes used for wholesale energy market settlement. See load zone wheel through
The transmission of electric power from one system to another over a third party&#;s transmission lines. wheel-through contracts
Contracts in which both generation and the delivery of electric energy occur outside the New England balancing authority area and are submitted into the market system for scheduling. wholesale electricity markets, wholesale electric power market
The sale of electric energy by generators to resellers (retailers) along with the ancillary services needed to maintain reliability and power quality at the transmission level. Use wholesale electricity markets or wholesale electricity marketplace not wholesale electric markets. Use the plural when collectively referring to New England&#;s wholesale electricity markets. Wholesale Markets Project Plan WMPP Report ISO-NE published annually to describe key wholesale energy market initiatives underway and planned for the upcoming three years to ensure an efficient and reliable power system in New England. Updates to the WMPP are published throughout the year on the ISO&#;s website. Abbreviation often includes report year (e.g., WMPP15 for report). Wholesale Markets Project Plan WMPP The ISO&#;s key market initiatives underway and planned for the upcoming three years to ensure an efficient and reliable power system in New England. Updates to the WMPP are published throughout the year. Wholesale Price Index WPI A measurement that tracks a country&#;s changes in the price of goods at stages before the retail level, indicating the country&#;s level of inflation; expressed as a ratio or percentage. wind energy area WEA Area on the Outer Continental Shelf established by the US Department of Interior&#;s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) considered appropriate for commercial offshore wind energy development, with a goal of minimizing conflicts with existing uses and the environment; several WEAs are off the coast of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Wind Power Forecast Integration Project WPFIP A centralized wind power forecasting service completed in that includes (1) communications and database systems for exchanging data relevant to wind power forecasting between wind plants throughout ISO New England and the wind power forecaster service; (2) wind power situational awareness displays and functions for operators; (3) incorporation of the forecasts into the day-ahead and periodic unit-commitment refinement processes; (4) a suite of wind power forecast services, including intraday, day-ahead, and week-ahead deterministic and probabilistic forecasts with corresponding event-type forecasts and a daily updated forecast narrative. wind project development area WPDA For its Economic Study, an ISO-NE-defined area within the bulk power system for quantifying the economic impacts on potential wind resource development in that area (based on projects in the ISO&#;s Interconnection Request Queue at that time) from transmission interface constraint between the area and load centers. WPDAs were defined for Vermont, western and southeastern Massachusetts, northern and southern New Hampshire, northern and central Maine, and Connecticut. winter seasonal claimed capability WSCC For participation in the Forward Capacity Market, the capability for most types of new or existing nonintermittent generator asset to perform under specified winter conditions (October to May of the following year) for a specified duration; its median net output during hours ending 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. (i.e., 5:01 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.) and any applicable shortage-event hours. Winter Supplemental Program WSP A prior ISO program (/) for maintaining system reliability that increased the availability of up to 450 MW of additional demand capacity resources to respond in the event of an energy-shortage condition during that winter. Program participants that reduced or transferred load or provided incremental generation received an incentive payment. without-price contract
A contract for the flow of electric energy under the assumption that transfer capacity and conforming arrangements with the external system are available. with-price contract purchases and sales
The buying and selling of electric energy that will not flow unless transfer capacity is available, conforming arrangements with the external system are in place, and the New England locational marginal price is above the specified price level for purchases or below the specified price levels for sales. WMA
Western Massachusetts subarea WMP
Wholesale Markets Plan WMP
Wholesale Markets Plan WMPP
Wholesale Markets Project Plan WMPP
Wholesale Markets Project Plan WPDA
wind project development area WPFIP
Wind Power Forecast Integration Project WPI
Wholesale Price Index Wright Interconnection Project (of the Iroquois Transmission System) WIP A Federal Energy Regulatory Commission-approved natural gas pipeline expansion project in Wright, New York, owned by Iroquois Gas Transmission, being developed in conjunction with the proposed Constitution Pipeline to enable the delivery of up to 650,000 dekatherms per day of natural gas from the terminus of the Constitution Pipeline in Schoharie, New York, into both the Iroquois and Tennessee Gas Pipelines 15-year capacity lease with Constitution. The proposed Constitution Pipeline is being developed to bring natural gas supplies from northeastern Pennsylvania (i.e., the Marcellus supplies) to New York and New England, markets presently served by Iroquois. Planned in-service date is the end of . WSCC
winter seasonal claimed capability WSP
Winter Supplemental Program Zero-Emission Renewable Energy Certificate ZREC A market-priced product in Connecticut representing the positive environmental attributes associated with each megawatt-hour of electricity produced by a zero-emission form of generation, such as solar photovoltaics, wind, and some small hydroelectric facilities, which the system owner can sell to its local utility, earning a financial benefit in addition to selling the energy the facility produced. The utilities use the resulting ZRECs for compliance with the state&#;s Renewable Portfolio Standards. zone
An aggregation of nodes in the New England Balancing Authority Area.
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